Paul Donovan on supporting James Timpson and prison reform

The appointment of James Timpson as the new Prisons, Parole and Probation minister comes as a breath of fresh air to the beleaguered sector. He gets it. 

A person who talks sense, rather than the Victorian age-based platitudes focusing on retribution and revenge.

In an early interview, Timpson said that one-third of the 85,000 prisoners should be there and one-third probably shouldn't. 

This group need other state support and lots have massive mental health problems. 
A final third, mainly women, shouldn't be in prison at all. 

Timpson is the first minister to talk such sense since Ken Clarke tried to reform the prison system, as part of the Coalition Government in 2010. Clarke was arguing the case from a cost angle and was quickly shot down by the right-wing 'hang 'em and flog 'em' brigade.
He was not backed by Prime Minister David Cameron.

Cllr Paul Donovan supports the appointment of James Timpson as the new minister in charge of prisons

The truth is, to paraphrase a mantra from a previous Conservative Home Secretary Michael Howard, prison does not work. The overcrowded prison system in this country is more of a university of crime if anything. 

People go in and learn more criminal skills and contacts. Reoffending rates are upwards of 25%.

Other countries have proved that there are better ways of dealing with criminals, notably serving closely supervised sentences in the community.

Prisons can have a role if properly run, with an emphasis on education and rehabilitation. Overcrowded prisons though, make things worse for inmates and staff. They amount to human storage centres ready to explode at any moment.

Previous Conservative governments have made matters worse. Firstly by failing to invest in the system. 

Timpson knows the area well as the former chair of the Prison Reform Trust. His family business, Timpsons, is of course, also famed for employing former prisoners. 

If he succeeds, then the Government could be knocking prisons down or repurposing them. He will though need strong backing, particularly when the right-wing media comes baying for blood. 

As a lawyer and former director of Public Prosecutions, Prime Minister Keir Starmer knows the criminal justice system well. This is why he has made such an astute appointment in Timpson, but Starmer will need to keep his nerve if the crime and punishment sector is to get the genuine reforms it needs to be fit for purpose in the 21st century.

• Paul Donovan is Labour councillor for Wanstead Village ward, Redbridge Council and a blogger (paulfdonovan.blogspot.com).