Sir, As a former chief inspector of prisons, I agree with Friday’s leading article (“Gove must bang judges’ heads together”). Michael Gove is to be applauded for his application of calm reason to Britain’s prison system, but I must repeat a warning that I have already given to him personally.
Over the past 20 years I have seen countless attempts by good prison governors, and others working in prisons, to introduce good practice that bucks the lamentable slide towards indecency and inhumanity. All have failed because, unlike in every business, hospital or school, no one in the prison system is responsible or accountable for any type of prison or prisoner, and therefore for ensuring that good practice somewhere is made into common practice