HBC to help reduce the prison population?

[DRiddle]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/12107521/To-cut-prison-populations-make-local-councils-pay.html

This is an interesting one. As a general rule, there aren't many Conservative policies I agree with.

However, in terms of reducing crime, I do tend to favour approaches which attempt to tackle the under lying social causes, rather than simply throwing people in prison time and time again.

I don't doubt for a second helping to improve employment training, housing, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and mental health services will reduce reoffending rates. It will also help tackle crime in general.

However, the idea of directing money to councils to help improve the issues listed above does set off some alarm bells regarding our particular council.

We already have more than our fair share of CIC's connected to councillors. Imagine if there are even more pots of money allocated by the government, in order for councils to play their part in reducing reoffending rates.

You can make your own jokes about which councillors would set up drugs and alcohol rehabilitation CIC's, let alone those who would be tempted to dabble in mental health services.

I suppose the biggest irony in all of this is Michael Gove is hoping allocating money to local councils will REDUCE the number of people who end up in prison.

He obviously doesn't read the papers up here.