Martyn Jones MP renewed calls for a new prison to be situated in North Wales.

9th October 2007

In a radio interview this morning Martyn Jones MP renewed calls for a new prison to be built in North Wales. His call for a prison followed a report by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee (On which he sits) and the voices of many distinguished legal figures.

Wales currently has four prisons all situated in the south of the country. The result is that prisoners from North Wales are sent all over the UK rather than to their local prison. This can disadvantage both the rehabilitation efforts of the prisoner and the prisoner’s family who will be forced to travel an excessively long distance.

In a debate with director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Francis Crook, Mr Jones made the following comments:

“At the moment there are no prison facilities at all in North Wales for prisoners who are sentenced. Male Welsh prisoners now have to go to Stoke Heath and the female Welsh prisoners have to go to Styal.

This lack of a facility reduces the opportunity for rehabilitation as their families don’t see them so often. It also burdens the families of prisoners who have to travel such a long distance.”
Following the radio discussion Mr Jones explained his points further, stating;

“This is not an argument about making life easier for prisoners. It is about a justice system that includes rehabilitation as a central method of crime prevention in the future. One of the facts of rehabilitation is that access to families makes the process easier.

A prison in North Wales will also perhaps reduce the over-crowding in some of the other prisons in the country. Again this will help prisoners to rehabilitate as they will get access to educational and correctional programmes that may help them in the future.”

Mr Jones’ comments come in the wake of a series of high profile supporters in favour of a prison in North Wales, the latest of which was Judge Elgan Edwards. Observing Mr Edwards’ comments Mr Jones said the following;

“Someone who has spent their entire life involved around the justice system as Judge Edwards has, has a unique insight into rates of recidivism and what is required in order to prevent reoffence.”