Root causes
The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has welcomed ‘reformer’ Chris Grayling to the Ministry of Justice, claiming that a root-and-branch review of the prison system is needed.
Christian Guy, managing director of the CSJ, said, ‘The appointment of Mr Grayling is to be welcomed, and I am sure he will continue the Government’s drive to cut re-offending and slow the revolving door culture that has blighted this country’s criminal justice system for years.
‘We hope he will ramp up efforts to tackle drugs in prison. It is well known quantities of drugs are available in prisons across England and Wales and this often dooms positive rehabilitative work to failure.
‘It is a national scandal that so many people enter our prison system with addiction problems and leave without these being tackled. As well as having devastating impacts on prisoners’ health, a failure to address addiction goes on to fuel crime’.
He said the only way to reduce crime was to hit its root causes, and a sustained focus on eliminating drugs from prisons would be a positive and effective move.
The comments came after Prime Minister David Cameron conducted an overhaul of his cabinet at the start of the new parliamentary season.
