3 into 1 doesn't go
Originally, I missed this story when I scanned my usual media haunts this morning but picked it up at Barnacle Bill's place.
At first glance, it appears that a Titan jail will be created out of 3 existing prisons. However, upon closer inspection, it emerges that what we have here is a Prison Service cost cutting exercise. We are assured that it will improve service. I suspect that pretty much in the same way that releasing the brake on a car parked on a hill will prevent it from rolling down the hill.
My understanding is that an Area Manager is already in charge of the 3 jails mentioned, so I cannot see the point of the merger for increasing effectiveness. What this proposal will do by having 1 prison governor in charge of 3 distinct prisons under 1 name is remove 2 prison governors and thereby save the money that would be paid to them in wages.
At a time when the Prison Service is in need of a bigger budget the government makes a decision to reduce the existing budget. I feel that this will be a false economy and will only lead to a disaster.
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
2 comments:
Thanks John for a better explanation than we got from the BBC.
I was scratching my head thinking they had to employ a lot of Polish builders to get the super prison ready by April.
Another piece of NuLabor spin that is going to end up in tears.
Barnacle Bill: I used to swear by the BBC in its news coverage. Now I swear at it. They should have detected that the ball had been tampered with and seen the spin coming. I noted that the report ended with a reference to this fictitious jail will be in Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary's, constituency. Given that prisons now come under Jack Straw, the Minister of Justice, and not the Home Secretary I fail to see the relevance of this additional information. Perhaps someone should inform the BBC?
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