19 July 2007
In brief
Justice secretary Jack Straw plans to review open-ended jail terms in a bid to curb spiralling prisoner numbers. The sentences—imprisonment for public protection (IPP)—were brought in two years ago for violent and sexual offenders. They allow minimum tariffs to be set, but the decision to release an inmate is taken by the Parole Board. It means many prisoners are staying in jail for longer periods—worsening the overcrowding problem. Such overcrowding has meant many of the thousands of IPP prisoners are unable to access the programmes they need to complete to convince the Parole Board they are no longer dangerous.
