71 prisoners released by mistake last year

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Shocking new figures show 71 prisoners were released by mistake in the last year – the highest since records began in 2006.

Official figures show 71 prisoners were released in error in 2016/17 in England & Wales – the highest number since records began in 2006/07 — Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) July 27, 2017

There were 26,643 assaults and another record – 7,159 attacks on prison staff.

A total of 316 people died in police custody in the 12 months leading up to June and there were 97 suicides.

Figures from the Ministry of Justice also show there were 40,414 incidents in the year ending in March, that’s up by more than 5,700.

Earlier this week Westmonster spoke to the head of the Prison Officers Association, Mark Fairhurst, who said conditions in prisons were so bad due to a lack of staff that some prison officers had resorted to taking anti-depressants.

And last week Peter Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons, said conditions were “squalid, dirty and disgraceful”.

Britain is supposed to be a first world country. It’s time this government got a grip and built more prisons and hired more prison officers. At the minute jail isn’t a deterrent, it’s a breeding ground for future crime.