Prison reform

 The commitment by the government to restore the prison officer complement, so disastrously cut over the last decade or so, is welcome. Long term, of course, the solution to prison overcrowding is to cut back on the number of needless imprisonable offences (estimated to have been added at the rate of one per day of the Blair-Brown governments) and to implement alternatives to prison. In the meantime, the second-largest prison population in the Western world needs to treated humanely and given the opportunity to reform. More supervision will also reduce the scandalously high use of drugs in prison.

Recruitment may be difficult, but perhaps the government should look at the pool of ex-services personnel. They are people who are used to discipline and are aware of its advantages. Many have found it hard to adjust to civvy life but should fit the HMP structure.