The escape of a prisoner from Wandsworth jail last week has rightly drawn a lot of public concern and attention. At Justice questions in the House of Commons, I suggested this would be a good time to start a broader debate on the role of prisons in society. Many of our jails date from before the Victoria era, and despite the best efforts of dedicated staff, are no longer fit for purpose. We need to think carefully about the balance between punishment, deterrence, protection of the public and rehabilitation. Ultimately, we must do everything possible to reduce the likelihood of more offences being committed, so we can cut the number of victims of crime.
