What assessment has the Minister made of the implications of the UK Government's decision to allow the early release of prisoners from Welsh prisons?
On 16 October the Lord Chancellor & Secretary of State for Justice Alex Chalk gave a statement in the Commons on measures the UK Government is taking to address prison capacity issues.
Officials from HM Prison and Probation Service in Wales have provided a briefing on the End of Custody Supervised License scheme to the Welsh Government. This briefing confirmed only a limited number of men will be affected by the scheme, and there will be a risk assessment process and support package for the men involved to ensure they are supported and risks to the community are managed.
It is imperative that his happens and is carefully managed to ensure each man released has the support they need to rehabilitate from offending and go on to live fulfilling lives as part of their home communities.
The pressures on the current prison estate reflect the impact of decades of punitive, regressive approach to crime and justice issues. It is increasingly clear that a different approach is needed. Welsh Government does not support an increase in prison places. What is needed is a more preventative approach to justice, which addresses the cause of offending and diverts people away from custody.
Devolving justice to Wales, which we are actively pursuing, would allow us to deliver this alternative vision for justice in full. This would build on our work under the current constitutional settlement, such as the Women’s Justice and Youth Justice Blueprint.