Letter: Tougher prisons fail to deter prisoners from crime

Sir: Anyone with an ounce of human decency who has worked in the prison service will know that Michael Howard's stance on a more austere prison environment is doomed to failure and will exacerbate an already strained system ('Imprisoned by prejudice; leading article, 23 August).

I visited a category A prison for more than five years as a volunteer working with individuals and groups. I was constantly appalled at the lack of rehabilitation facilities that addressed the real issues of convicted felons.

Grendon Underwood, which I also visited, is the only prison in Britain that sets out to treat prisoners with humanity and attempts serious rehabilitation based on group therapy principles. While many may disagree with the methods used, the fact remains that prisoners who are treated with simple decency, regardless of their past offences, stand a much better chance of responding to the concept of personal responsibility and reform.

Does this mean that such regimes are 'soft' or 'easy'? Far from it. The personal commitment necessary to remain and work through the Grendon programme is enormous, and some do not make it.

Dehumanising prisoners only serves to create people we can view with increasing disdain when they re-offend. Mr Howard would do well to look at the Grendon experience, and then perhaps he would formulate a policy that works.

Yours faithfully,

DENNIS HOWLETT

Bradford

23 August