The prison population in England and Wales currently stands at 71,800. According to the Home Office estimate this figure is projected to rise to 83,500 by 2008. Similarly in Scotland, which has a separate legal system and its own private service, there are similar pressures. Prisons can be successful in their four aims: retribution, protection, deterrence and rehabilitation. Reconviction rates are at a substantial low, but is that enough? Whilst compared with the problems facing prisons a question arises, ‘is it really prisons Britain needs?’ There are several other approaches to punishing, deterring and rehabilitating offenders whilst also protecting the public. These include the increasingly popular Community Punishment Order (CPO), previously known as Community Service. This involves the offender doing unpaid work that shall benefit the community, however this also entails the offender learning new skills. Otherwise we have the ever-prevalent fine. This requires the criminal to pay a sum of money, up to £5000, if sentenced by the Magistrates and there is no limit as to the maximum that can be imposed by Crown Courts. The success of fines is a much-debated issue. These are just a p

Contrarily, some inmates willingly endanger themselves by attempting to take their own lives. Suicides are becoming a predicament in prisons. Since 1990, 365 prisoners have taken their own lives, 69 of which were aged 15-21.

The prison population rate is projected to rise an amazing 16% in 6 years! Therefore there is currently a colossal strain facing the Prison Service, principally due to this ever-escalating incarceration rate. This is particularly accentuated whilst studying women. In November 2001 a third men’s jail had to be converted to take female prisoners in response to a sizeable fluctuation in the female prison population. A record of 4,045 women are housed in British prisons. In 2001-2002 the female prison population increased by 28%. It is conclusive that women are incarcerated, predominantly for drug-related offences and violence. This significant increase has placed the women’s prison educational and drug rehabilitation programmes in jeopardy due to overcrowding.

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