According to the UK Green Party website the Green Party will try to achieve the following if they gain power at the 2010 general election:
CJ380 The physical and social standards of prisoners will be improved so that as far as possible the only limitation on the dignity of their lives will be the denial of freedom of movement outside the prison. Prisoners would normally have their own room. They would enjoy extended facilities for communication and association with family and friends including unsupervised visits. Prisoners would as far as possible be detained near their family and home community.
CJ381 Prisoners should have improved access to meaningful activities, particularly real work and education and artistic and creative facilities.
CJ382 Prisoners will be offered counselling and appropriate assistance to overcome the root cause of their offences and reduce the likelihood of re-offending.
CJ383 Prisoners rights will be legally enforceable and will be supplemented by grievance procedures and a prisoners’ complaints commission, headed by a prison ombudsperson to whom appeal can be made if a grievance cannot be resolved within a particular institution. Regular spot inspections by lay visitors and Department of Justice inspectors will further contribute to ensure standards are maintained and human rights safeguarded.
CJ384 The Prison Medical Service will be incorporated into the improved National Health Service (see Health Policy). Its responsibilities will cover access to complementary health care, health education and the provision of counselling as well as the direct medication care of prisoners.
CJ385 The Health and Safety Acts and Factories Acts, the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Unfitness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 will also be applied to prisons, and Crown Immunity will be abolished in relation to prisons.
CJ386 Young People under the age of 18 would no longer be kept in custody. Social Services Departments will have the responsibility to establish and run a range of small secure residential homes to cater for the needs of particular types of young people with special needs. Safeguards similar to those set out in CJ383 will be built in to the system.
CJ387 There will be adequate facilities and a suitable environment to allow a young child to stay or live with their parent or guardian in custody when this is considered to be in the best interests of the child.
CJ388 We oppose privatisation, use of PFI and any creeping or part privatisation of our prisons and the prison service.
I would be interested to hear both positive and negative views on UK Green Party’s Prison Reforms policies in the comments below?