Policy and principles

The Labour Campaign for Prison Reform was set up to make the case for better criminal
justice within the Labour Party. Our aim is to stimulate debate within the party, raise
awareness of the worrying realities of the UKs prison system and help to hold the
Government to account for inaction.
Whilst these aims are broad, we are eager to see them reflected in Labour Party policy. This
document is an overview of some of the key statistics about the UKs penal system and of
the case for reform. As the Campaign gains support, a number of independent analyses and
position papers will be commissioned, in order to achieve a broad and well-informed
perspective on the issue.

Outline

Around 80,000 people are imprisoned in the UK at any one time1.

This is an increase of around 52% since 19932.
The annual cost of imprisoning someone is around 40,000 annually3.
Around 6,000 children are in some form of custody at any one point4.

Mental health and addiction

Mental health problems are commonplace and prisoners make up some of the most
vulnerable people in society.
46% of women and 21% of men in prison have attempted suicide at some point 5.
Mental health problems, including substance misuse, may affect as many as 90% of
prisoners6.
Close to 40% of prisoners have a drug addiction or are diagnosed with a substance
abuse problem.
Around 6% of prisoners acquire a drug addiction whilst in prison7.

Reoffending rates

Despite an annual cost of around 2.8bn, prisons arent tackling the socioeconomic
causes of criminal behaviour.

Prison population figures, Ministry of Justice (2016)

Story of the Prison Population: 1993 2012, Ministry of Justice (2013)
3 Costs per place and costs per prisoner, National Offender Management Service (2013)
4
Young lives behind bars: The health and human rights of children and young people detained in the
criminal justice system, British Medical Association (2014)
5
Prison: the facts, Prison Reform Trust (2014)
6
The mental health of prisoners, HM Inspectorate of Prisons (2007)
7
HC Deb 2 July 2013, col 729
2

45% of adult prisoners re-offend within a year of being released.8

Reoffending costs our economy between 9.5-13bn each year.9
Education, training, rehabilitation, supporting families and working with offenders in
the community have all been shown to prevent re-offending. But, prison budgets
have been cut by 900m since 2010, and these programmes are often the first to
go.10

Proven reoffending statistics, Ministry of Justice (2016)

2010 to 2015 government policy: reoffending and rehabilitation, Home Office & Ministry of Justice
(2015)
10
Business Plan 2014 2015, National Offender Management Service (2014)
9