Prisoners must get the chance to rehabilitate themselves in jail | Prisons and probation

As a former jail governor, I welcome the revival of “day off for good behaviour”, acquainted to us within the Eighties (Labour to abolish most brief jail sentences in England and Wales, 24 August). However for it to succeed, prisoners should have the prospect to indicate positivity and a will to vary.At current, too many are locked in situations that quantity to solitary confinement, with illicit medicine as their important type of aid. Such a regime implies that solely those that are already motivated – or organised criminals working their empires from inside – can profit. For the remaining, the system gives little greater than stagnation.Worse nonetheless, a failing Jail Service is shifting the burden on to a demoralised probation workforce. The result’s hovering remembers, now on the equal of eight new prisons – every costing round £400m.Except we create actual alternatives for rehabilitation inside prisons, this reform dangers being yet one more sticking plaster on a system in long-term disaster.John PodmoreFormer governor, HMP Brixton and Belmarsh; prisons inspector and worldwide marketing consultant on jail corruption