Bubb joins prison reform campaign

Finance | Gareth Jones | 30 Jun 2009

Acevo chief executive Stephen Bubb has been named as an ambassador for Make Justice Work, a campaign calling for reform of the criminal justice system.

Bubb has long advocated a bigger role for voluntary sector groups in running prisons and probation services.

Writing in his blog this week, Bubb said: “I have agreed to be one of the Campaign's Ambassadors and have signed a letter to the press outlining the case. It is extraordinary that we lock up so many people in this country.

“The cost to public spending and to social cohesion is immense. It is high time the government got a grip on this.”

He added: “It is sheer idiocy that we pour money into prisons and starve third sector organisations of resources they need to do the work that really prevents crime in the future.”

Research released to coincide with the launch of the campaign reveals that diverting one offender from custody to residential drug treatment would save society approximately £200,000 over the lifetime of the offender, while diversion to intensive supervision with drug treatment would save around £60,000.

Make Justice Work was founded by penal reform campaigner Roma Hooper and aims to bring together “former prison governors, charity directors, renowned academics – as well as key players and opinion formers from outside the sector”.

The campaign has more than 60 ambassadors, including charity chief executives Charles Fraser CBE of St Mungo’s, Leslie Morphy of Crisis and Joyce Moseley OBE of Catch22, as well as the likes of writer and social commentator Polly Toynbee, boxer Amir Khan, and Baroness Julia Neuberger DBE.

Who's Who: Gareth Jones

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