Prison Governors Association Speech
Lord Timpson, Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, sets out why prison governors are at the forefront of efforts to drive down reoffending.
Please note the political content has been removed from this transcript.
Thank you for that introduction, Graham, and for the invitation to speak 바카라 사이트 it바카라 사이트s great to be here.
Thanks to everyone involved for putting this event together.
Let me start by saying just how grateful I am for the PGA바카라 사이트s work.
You speak up for change, where change is needed바카라 사이트¦
You push 바카라 사이트, where it needs to be pushed바카라 사이트¦
And you do it not just for those you represent, but in the interests of public safety too.
Your voice is valued, and we thank you for it바카라 사이트¦ even when you say things we don바카라 사이트t necessarily want to hear.
I know it바카라 사이트s your first annual conference since becoming PGA President, Tom 바카라 사이트 congratulations again on your appointment.
Let me also congratulate your new Vice-Chairs, Mark, and Carl, on their appointments too.
I바카라 사이트ve known Tom for a while now - we once even shadowed each other a few years ago, when he was Governor at HMP Wakefield, and I headed up the Timpson Group.
I took Tom to visit some of our shops 바카라 사이트 one branch was in Uttoxeter Tesco, as I recall 바카라 사이트 while I found out what it바카라 사이트s like to lead one of our toughest prisons.Β
I know who has it harder바카라 사이트¦!
And now I바카라 사이트m wearing a new hat, I did ask Tom if he fancied another job swap 바카라 사이트 but for some reason he wasn바카라 사이트t up for it.
I can바카라 사이트t think why바카라 사이트¦
I realise that the CEO of a business and prison governor are very different roles 바카라 사이트 but there are similarities, too.
Both manage complex organisations. Both need a strategic brain, excellent management skills, the ability to communicate, inspire and motivate.
But the main difference is this: most people know what a CEO does, what their job entails.
You, on the other hand, are largely hidden from view. Even when prisons are plastered all over our TV screens, as they are right now.
The average person would have little idea about your day-to-day 바카라 사이트 what it really means to lead a prison in 2024, as Tom has set out so starkly just now.
Working every hour, under extraordinary pressure, to run safe and secure regimes.
Dealing with self-harm, deaths and the scourge of drugs on a daily basis.
Supporting your teams and trying to nurture them in an environment more stressful than most could imagine.
Every challenge amplified, because our prisons are full to bursting.
These are the realities you face every day.
Now, prisons have always fascinated me 바카라 사이트 since I was a young boy, and my Mum, Alex, would take the babies she바카라 사이트d fostered into HMP Styal, so their mothers could see them.
I바카라 사이트d sit outside in the car and wonder what was going on inside바카라 사이트¦
What had these women done that was so terrible, that they couldn바카라 사이트t be with their babies?
It was the start of a life-long interest.
And as you may know, around 10 percent of people who work for Timpson are ex-offenders.
It all started by chance 22 years ago, when, as a new CEO, I visited a local prison and met Matt 바카라 사이트 who got into a fight after his A-levels, and instead of going to university, went to jail.
Matt showed me around the wing, and I immediately liked him. He was bright, enthusiastic, and I thought he was just the sort of person we wanted in the business.
So I told him 바카라 사이트 바카라 사이트when you get out, I바카라 사이트ll give you a job.바카라 사이트
And the rest is history.
Matt went on to be one of our most successful branch managers 바카라 사이트 in a branch just a stone바카라 사이트s throw from the prison he served time in.
He바카라 사이트s still there today. And while he hasn바카라 사이트t gone far physically, he바카라 사이트s travelled lightyears in terms of what he바카라 사이트s achieved바카라 사이트¦
Because he had the will to turn his life around, and that extra support to get into work.
I knew there must be more great people like Matt in our prisons, and from then on, we decided to proactively recruit ex-offenders.
Later, working with you, we set up prison training academies바카라 사이트¦
Then to create Employment Advisory Boards, building those vital links between prisons and local employers.
And, in 2016, I was honoured to become Chair of the Prison Reform Trust.
So I바카라 사이트ve been behind the scenes.
And in that time, one constant has been your outstanding leadership, in the most challenging circumstances.
It has been a privilege to get to know you, and to see the incredible work you do.
Thank you.
You have our deepest respect, and our gratitude.
Over the years there has been much debate about what prison is primarily for 바카라 사이트 be it punishment, public protection or deterrence.
Of course, it바카라 사이트s all of these things. Β
It바카라 사이트s right that dangerous people are taken off our streets 바카라 사이트 and that people who destroy lives and wreck our communities face the consequences.
But if we cut to the core of it, prison should also be about reducing offending. That바카라 사이트s the only way we are genuinely going to protect the public.
I say 바카라 사이트should바카라 사이트, here, because it바카라 사이트s something we haven바카라 사이트t always been very good at in this country. I know you바카라 사이트d agree.
Serious criminals should see the inside of a jail cell 바카라 사이트 and the most dangerous should stay there.
But what happens next to the many offenders who will someday be let out really matters.
For the vast majority of offenders, being locked up is a fork in the road.
One way on that road can lead them to turn their lives around바카라 사이트¦
The other will take them straight back to prison.
Too often, it바카라 사이트s the latter. And I바카라 사이트ve no doubt how deeply frustrating it must be for you to see the same faces at your gates again and again.
The numbers are clear 바카라 사이트 80 percent of offending in this country is reoffending. That is too high by any measure.
But I know just how determined you are to turn that around. Β
We all know what the answers are. I know that you know what needs to be done. My job is to help you realise those ambitions.
Having worked in the family business since I was 14, I hope I바카라 사이트ve learnt a few things about leadership and responsibility along the way. There are plenty of philosophies out there.
I found that a strong culture and high standards 바카라 사이트 rooted in trust, and kindness 바카라 사이트 was what worked for us.
And I firmly believe that strong leaders 바카라 사이트 you 바카라 사이트 are the single most important element in a good prison.
You set the culture바카라 사이트¦
You set those high standards for your teams to follow, and for the prisoners you rehabilitate.
And I can바카라 사이트t stress enough how important high standards are in our prisons. Β
Put it this way - I바카라 사이트ve never known a great organisation to have poor standards.
That starts with the basics - a clean, tidy, environment, where prisoners and staff respect the rules.
When I was a CEO, I바카라 사이트d check the Timpson head office car park for weeds and litter바카라 사이트¦
Small things, I know. But they really matter바카라 사이트¦
Those first impressions for people arriving really matter바카라 사이트¦
And as leaders, it바카라 사이트s our job to lead by example.
And in over 20 years of being involved with prisons, I can바카라 사이트t think of a time when your job has been tougher.
For too long, you바카라 사이트ve been doing your best in very challenging circumstances.
People don바카라 사이트t turn up to work to get beaten up, they turn up to inspire people, and to and turn lives around.
Yet our crammed prisons are breeding violence 바카라 사이트 which threatens everyone바카라 사이트s safety, staff and prisoners alike바카라 사이트¦
Staff shortages - and a lack of experienced staff - stretch your ability to run the kind of regimes you want to run.
While so many of your prisons are dilapidated, in desperate need of repair바카라 사이트¦
I바카라 사이트m grateful to Charlie Taylor 바카라 사이트 who is up next 바카라 사이트 for HMIP바카라 사이트s unflinching focus on these issues.
And I know it hasn바카라 사이트t been easy, trying to rehabilitate offenders in a system teetering on the edge of disaster.
A system that, when we came into government, had been run at 99 percent capacity for months.
I should emphasise - none of this is your doing 바카라 사이트 in fact, the PGA has been sounding the alarm loud and clear.
That바카라 사이트s why we had to take the tough decision to bring in changes to automatic release to ease the pressure on our prisons.
It was, quite literally, a rescue effort.
If we hadn바카라 사이트t acted, the justice system would have ground to a halt:
Courts would have been unable to hold trials and police unable to make arrests.
We would have faced the total breakdown of law and order.
We only have to look at the recent disorder on our streets to see how close to catastrophe we came바카라 사이트¦
Because we could deliver justice swiftly, we brought the violence to an end.
But, in the process, we came dangerously close to running out of prison space entirely.
We had no choice but to introduce emergency measures in the first few days of this new 바카라 사이트.
It was only thanks to the heroic efforts of prison and probation staff, that we pulled through.
We didn바카라 사이트t want to do this. But we were left with no choice바카라 사이트¦
To attempt to delay any further, would have allowed our justice system to collapse.
We could never have allowed that:
This 바카라 사이트 will always put the safety of the public 바카라 사이트 first.
Throughout all of this you have been under immense pressure.
Offender management units, in particular, have borne the brunt of several emergency measures바카라 사이트¦
While more broadly the estate has coped with higher numbers of late arrivals and redirections.
It바카라 사이트s in times like these that strong leadership matters most. We couldn바카라 사이트t have managed this crisis without you.
And while there is still work to be done ahead of the next releases later this month, I want to thank you, again, for everything you바카라 사이트ve done to get us to this point.
So, our changes have bought us some time. Time for the system to catch its breath.
But these challenges haven바카라 사이트t just disappeared, and the crisis isn바카라 사이트t over.
If things don바카라 사이트t change, we바카라 사이트ll end up in the same position all over again바카라 사이트¦ Sooner than we care to mention.
I want us to get a point where you can run your prisons how you want to run them바카라 사이트¦
That is why the Justice Secretary has been clear that getting prisons built is a priority for her.
That is why we will take control of the planning process, and deem prison development of national importance.
And we also need decent regimes, that help offenders turn their backs on crime for good.
I know there is brilliant, innovative work going on, and I want to encourage more of it.
But innovating is difficult 바카라 사이트 impossible, even - when you바카라 사이트re so full that you can바카라 사이트t let prisoners out of their cells.
That바카라 사이트s why it is essential we resolve this capacity crisis바카라 사이트¦
So we can support and empower you to go even further to reduce reoffending.
And, if we create the right conditions for you to do your jobs as you바카라 사이트d want to do them 바카라 사이트 I hope to see more of you staying in post for longer, too.
Stability at the top is crucial.
Because our prisons are on a journey, and there바카라 사이트s a long road ahead.
Culture change doesn바카라 사이트t happen overnight.
In my experience, it can take anywhere from three to five years to really move an organisation on.
Much of our success will be down to you, our prison leaders.
So I want to see more of you staying on that road for longer 바카라 사이트 and I want you to tell me how we can support you to do that.
Great prisons need great leaders. But second, they need hardworking dedicated staff, like the officers in your teams.
Fundamentally, prisons are a people business 바카라 사이트 like any company.
As a CEO, I found that the happier people are in their jobs, the better they work. If they feel valued, trusted and cared for, they are going to perform well for you.
And in your teams, people are working under such intense pressure day in, day out.
The relationships - between you, and your staff바카라 사이트¦ and your staff and your prisoners 바카라 사이트 go right to the core of safe, decent prisons.
If we invest in officer training 바카라 사이트 in their well-being, and development 바카라 사이트 we empower them to do much more than simply maintain order.
We empower them to become agents of change 바카라 사이트 to help people turn their lives around.
I바카라 사이트ve met plenty of men and women who say that a prison officer transformed their life.
Officers who took the time to mentor them - who really got to know the people on their wing.
Who knew if their mum wasn바카라 사이트t well, or when their kids were starting school.
But to be a prison officer requires a unique set of skills 바카라 사이트 quite unlike any other job.
That 바카라 사이트jailcraft바카라 사이트 equips officers for the challenges they will face every day. It takes time, and continual learning.
Before joining the 바카라 사이트, I had the privilege of leading a review of prison officer training 바카라 사이트 speaking to hundreds of officers across the estate.
It바카라 사이트s clear we have some decent foundations 바카라 사이트 but we can do so much more.
I want to see more in-depth training that fully prepares officers for the realities of the role, right from the start.
Greater consistency 바카라 사이트 with a strong curriculum and clear standards바카라 사이트¦
More local ownership of training바카라 사이트¦
Clear channels of accountability바카라 사이트¦
And a culture of ongoing learning throughout an officer바카라 사이트s career바카라 사이트¦
One that rightly builds pride in this absolutely critical role.
I want to push forward with these changes, and I바카라 사이트ll say more about this as soon as I can.
The third element of a good prison is, of course, purposeful activity.
Prison education and training has a huge influence on the path offenders choose to take.
It바카라 사이트s crucial that we get this right if we are to release better citizens, not better criminals.
Yet I바카라 사이트ve seen people leave prison not even knowing how to use a computer.
When we spend so much of our lives - and jobs - online, how are they supposed to get on in the modern world?
That바카라 사이트s just one example. There are many others.
But the point is clear: when you don바카라 사이트t have the right skills to get a job, slipping back into old habits is all too easy.
And the lure of easy cash might feel like the only way to put money in your pocket.
So, it might not come as a surprise that I바카라 사이트m passionate about prison education and training.
Training that opens doors 바카라 사이트 that gives prisoners pride - and real skills that today바카라 사이트s employers want.
I바카라 사이트m clear that prison is a punishment. But that바카라 사이트s no reason to stop the one in four working-age people in the UK who have criminal records from getting jobs.
We know that prison leavers are less likely to reoffend if they have a job within a year of release.
So, getting them into work doesn바카라 사이트t just cut crime, it boosts our economy too.
That바카라 사이트s a win-win we can바카라 사이트t ignore.
But for many, the process of applying for jobs can be daunting.
That바카라 사이트s why I바카라 사이트m pleased to see a new partnership - between the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Trust and the New Futures Network.
It will embed HR professionals in EABs바카라 사이트¦
Ensure that prison leavers can access HR advice to support them into work바카라 사이트¦
Provide mentoring for Prison Employment Leads바카라 사이트¦
And help us to create even closer links between prisons and local employers.
And, I can testify, former prisoners make great colleagues.
In my experience, they work hard, they turn up on time, and they are trustworthy 바카라 사이트 because they are so hungry to prove themselves.
The amount they can achieve 바카라 사이트 starting from rock bottom 바카라 사이트 is nothing short of extraordinary.
It바카라 사이트s no exaggeration to say that some of the most accomplished people I know were once in prison.
They want to grasp that second chance with both hands.
Together - let바카라 사이트s make sure they get it.
Our fourth route to reducing reoffending is by tackling the scourge of drugs in our prisons.
As you know so well, drugs undermine rehabilitation, fuel violence, debt, and are a sure path back into crime.
Nearly half of prisoners have a history of drug misuse.
Many will have addictions when they turn up at your gates, but too many who were clean on the outside are drawn into drugs on the inside.
That flies in the face of what we want our prisons to achieve.
The answer is clear.
First, we need to stop drugs getting into prison. We can hardly expect prisoners to kick the habit if our jails are a sweetshop for drugs.
We know what you are up against. Not least the growing use of drones to smuggle drugs - and the phones that power the illicit market - over your walls바카라 사이트¦
And the increasing threat of synthetic opioids바카라 사이트¦
We have to adapt rapidly if we are to protect our staff and prisoners.
Second, we need prisons to drive demand for drugs down, not up.
Purposeful activity is so important here. If prisoners have meaningful ways to spend their time, they바카라 사이트re less likely to turn to drugs through boredom, or distress.
Staff training is crucial too. Your teams have to understand drugs, and addiction, so they can make sure prisoners get the right support, and are helped to recover.
Third, prisoners with an addiction need treatment.
There is good evidence to show this reduces reoffending 바카라 사이트 but we also need to make sure they stay in treatment after release. That groundwork starts in prison.
And fourth 바카라 사이트 where it바카라 사이트s safe and appropriate - we should be driving more people with a drug problem away from prison and into treatment.
That could include greater use of drug and alcohol treatment requirements attached to community sentences, for example.
There are no easy solutions, but I want to work with you to create a system where people leave custody prepared to lead productive, drug-free lives.
I know there is innovative work going on out there 바카라 사이트 and I want to explore how we can replicate that work elsewhere.
As I come to a close, let me say again - this is the beginning of a new journey for our prisons.
This 바카라 사이트 will rebuild and reform the system.
We바카라 사이트ll accelerate the prison building programme, to make sure we have the cells we need.
We바카라 사이트ll soon publish our ten-year capacity strategy, setting out how we will acquire new land for prisons, and reform the planning process.
And, as you바카라 사이트re aware, we will carry out a review of sentencing - with a focus on how it both protects the public and reduces reoffending.
We바카라 사이트ll soon be in a position to share the terms of reference of that independent review and announce its chair 바카라 사이트 and I know the PGA will play its full part once it is underway.
As I바카라 사이트ve said, change takes time. It also takes stamina. The last 바카라 사이트 hardly led by example - 14 Prison Ministers in as many years isn바카라 사이트t a record to be proud of.
So I can assure you 바카라 사이트 it바카라 사이트s very much my intention to stay the course.
I want you to judge me on my actions. When I바카라 사이트m back here next year, and the year after that, let바카라 사이트s see where we바카라 사이트ve got to.
I바카라 사이트m fortunate to have started this job with a good working knowledge of prisons, but it바카라 사이트s been humbling to visit some of you recently, and be reminded of the complex and challenging work you do every day.
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to talk to me so far 바카라 사이트
Aled at Holme House바카라 사이트¦
Pete at Five Wells바카라 사이트¦
Amy at Downview바카라 사이트¦
Andy at Wandsworth바카라 사이트¦
Emily at High Down바카라 사이트¦
Dan at Preston바카라 사이트¦
And many, many more바카라 사이트¦
I should say that getting out into the estate is another of my top priorities바카라 사이트¦
So you can tell me straight - what바카라 사이트s really going on in the system, what you바카라 사이트re up against, and how, together, we can make it better.
I hear the last Minister to go to Isle of Wight prison was Anne Widdecombe. So, Dougie, you바카라 사이트ve been forewarned. I바카라 사이트ll be coming down!
Let me finish by saying thank you, again바카라 사이트¦
To you, to your teams, and every single person who keeps the system running 바카라 사이트 the teachers, nurses, psychologists, and non-operational staff.
As leaders, your role goes far beyond managing institutions.
You are protecting communities바카라 사이트¦
You are shaping lives바카라 사이트¦
And ultimately, you are strengthening our society.
Thank you.