Maajid Nawaz Infuriated By Priti Patel's Prison Priorities

10 August 2019, 13:24

Maajid Nawaz details why the purpose of prison should be to "rehumanise" criminals, no matter how angry you are at them.

The Prime Minister is reported to be considering plans to make criminals 'earn' their release from prison, as a report written by a former policing minister proposes a raft of criminal justice reforms including more 'honest' sentencing and an end to automatic release from jail.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said she wanted criminals to "feel terror" at the thought of breaking the law, with a new poll suggesting overwhelming public support for her statement.

But Maajid Nawaz outlined how prisons should be to "rehumanise" criminals, no matter how angry you are at them.

Speaking on LBC, Maajid said there was a need to target the reasons why people commit crimes.

"Whether it's because they need money and they don't have work, or because they feel socially excluded and they begin to feel resentment towards the rest of society, if you list all the reasons to cause people to cause crime, then you need to start knocking out those reasons and make those reasons disappear for them once they come out of prison," he said.

"If the purpose is rehabilitation, you've got the perfect opportunity whilst that criminal is serving their sentence in jail, to try and help them - with education, vocational training, support on release on prison, help with probation officers to help them reintegrate with society, provide community networks of support.

"In other words, rehumanise them, that's what needs to be done.

"The point is, no matter how angry you are at that violent criminal, if they come out of jail after their sentence and they go onto stab someone you've failed - and none of that anger achieved anything because now you've got another victim.

"I don't know what Priti Patel's on, but I don't want any of it."

Watch above.