Penal reformers urge authorities to ignore UK’s ‘get tough’ plans

Penal reformers have urged Irish authorities not to go down the road of the new “get tough” approach to prisoners in England.

Under the plans, new committals to prison will have to wear a standard-issue prison uniform for a period and will have to earn their perks and privileges, rather than receive them as an automatic entitlement. This includes access to televisions in their room. In addition, all inmates in England and Wales, under plans announced by justice secretary Chris Grayling, will have to work one extra day a week.

“This is a real step back for UK policy and we don’t want to go down the same road,” said Liam Herrick of the Irish Penal Reform Trust.