Bigger sector role in prisons and probation on the horizon1

Finance | Tania Mason | 28 Apr 2009

Voluntary sector organisations could have a much bigger role in running prisons and probation services following announcements yesterday from justice minister Jack Straw.

Straw unveiled a number of new measures:

• For the next three years, only the private and voluntary sectors will be invited to bid for the construction and operation of new prisons
• Five prisons already operated under contract will be re-tendered at the end of the existing agreements, with bids invited from the public, private and third sectors
• Two high-cost or low-performing public sector prisons will be market-tested in 2009, with bids invited from all three sectors
• In the probation sector, best value reviews will begin in 2009, with bids invited from all three sectors

Acevo, which has campaigned tirelessly for more sector involvement in this area, was delighted with the news. Chief executive Stephen Bubb said: “The charity sector has a long and successful history of working with offenders and it continues to play a key role in reducing re-offending today. We have been calling for some time for the sector’s role to be taken to the next level. This step is to allow charities to compete with the private and public sector to run a much broader swathe of prisons and probationary services."

Rainer Crime Concern and Nacro are still waiting to hear whether their opposing bids as part of consortia to run new prisons in Merseyside and London, have been successful.

Directory: Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO)
Who's Who: Tania Mason | Sir Stephen Bubb

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Carl Allen
29 Apr 2009

An interesting point, by way of analogy with the Housing Associations' situation, is the probability of such charities being deemed public sector bodies for the purposes of judicial review.

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