Calls grow for powers over crime to be devolved

On Thursday, the Howard League for Penal Reform joined the numerous bodies that are supporting the devolution of criminal justice to the National Assembly:

"A leading prison reform charity has called for criminal justice policy to be devolved to Wales. And a report by the Howard League for Penal Reform also says there should be greater use of community sentences. The group says public confidence in criminal justice would be boosted by greater control at local level." Their view backs up my criminal justice report's conclusions. If you haven't seen it already, then click here for a copy.

Howard League petition on children in custody

I support the Howard League's Growing up shut up campaign. The campaign has placed a petition on the 10 Downing Street website which I would encourage anyone with an interest in getting children out of custody to sign. Sign the petition here and support the campaign to improve the care for children in the penal system by recognising the child behind the crime, improving access to justice for children, and making sure every child has a safe home. We should be ashamed that the UK government locks up more children than any other country in Europe.

Towards a Welsh system of justice

Yesterday's Politics Show covered a paper I have written entitled 'Making Our Communities Safer'.

My argument is that the criminal justice system is not working and so should be devolved to Wales. Overcrowding in prisons has reached an all-time high and imprisonment rates in England and Wales are higher than other comparative Western European countries. By devolving criminal justice to Wales we could take a completely different approach, tacking the causes-not just the symptoms- of crime.

The Howard League for Penal Reform have said that "we were recently in Scotland, where criminal justice is devolved, and we were greatly impressed with the enthusiasm of the Scottish justice minister, Kenny MacAskill. We do believe that devolving criminal justice will usher in more innovative thinking and allow Wales to get off the runaway train to disaster which is Westminster's current prisons policy."

The One Wales programme has a commitment to examining the evidence for the devolution of the criminal justice system, and my paper represents Plaid Cymru's contribution to that evidence. Above all, I hope that this sparks debate around the issue because it is an area where we could really make progress for Wales.

You can read the discussion paper here. Send an email to leanne.wood@wales.gov.uk, including your postal address if you would like a hard copy.

Readers may also be interested in Andy Newman's analysis of my report over at Socialist Unity.