Britain’s overcrowded jails are becoming increasingly lawless and harsh sentencing is playing its role, according to a former prison governor.

Vanessa Frake joined Martin Daubney on GB News to reflect on former Tory minister David Gauke’s report blaming successive governments for Britain’s prison crisis.

He said harsh sentencing is leaving many trapped in an endless cycle of jail time, and Frake thinks he has a point.

“It’s all very well being tough on criminals and extending long sentences but you have to have the infrastructure to support that”, she said.

Vanessa Frake said harsh sentencing can be blamed for the crisis – but also a lack of investment in new prisons

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“You can’t just say, ‘that’s ten years for carrying a knife’ and expecting the prison service to cope.

“That’s just an impossibility. In David Gauke’s report, nothing has been confirmed that I haven’t said to you already.

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“It’s all very well being tough on crime but there’s a bigger picture than just sentencing on criminals.”

Daubney said the solution is building more prisons and ensuring Britain can cope with an increased demand for prison spaces.

The former Wormwood Scrubs security boss said prisons “aren’t cheap to build” but Gauke’s review may “turn a few heads”.

She continued: “I can tell you now, they have a money pot for every bit of infrastructure in this country and the problem is, our prisons are becoming lawless.

Frake joined Martin Daubney on GB News

GB NEWS

“Because they’re overcrowded, money has been siphoned off from resettlement, from reducing reoffending, from the probation service, in order to manage these large levels of prisoners.

Despite crime trending downwards for 30 years, governments have continued ramping up sentences.

Latest data shows 37.2 per cent of prisoners reoffend after release, rising to 56.9 per cent for those serving less than a year.

The number of offenders recalled to prison has surged from less than 100 in 1993 to nearly 13,000 in December 2024.

Many prisoners were freed early last year

PA

The report found many sentencing changes were “knee jerk” responses to tragic events, creating inconsistencies in the justice system.

Prison demand is expected to increase by 3,000 people annually at current rates.

Andrew Neilson from the Howard League for Penal Reform said overcrowded prisons are “breeding grounds for crime” with overstretched probation services.

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick argued the solution lies in speeding up deportations and trials.

The Independent Sentencing Review will announce detailed reform proposals this spring.

The most recent data from October shows around 20 per cent of inmates are on remand, while 12 per cent are foreign nationals.

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