A recently published House of Lords report recommends that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) should set out a clear and consistent statement of the purpose of prison, with reducing reoffending as central - House of Lords: Justice and Home Affairs Committee 16 July 2025.
The report comments that our prisons are in a state of crisis and notes that -
'Prisons play a role in punishment, protecting the public, reducing reoffending, and preparing prisoners for lives outside. But there is lack of clarity about which of these should be given priority.
Our view is that being in prison is the punishment and once there, the focus should be on reducing reoffending.
The punishment is the deprivation of liberty. Beyond that, prisoners must be treated with dignity as human beings who are capable of change and deserving of the opportunity to rebuild their self-esteem and their lives.'
On Monday 11 August 2025, the prison population was 88,238 against a 'useable operational capacity' of 89,529 - (UK Government weekly estate figures). That is 98.6% of capacity. This appears to be the highest prison population in Western Europe.
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