New prison at Runwell is not the way to cut crime - Robinson

11.38.04pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 30th Apr 2009

Nick Clegg visited Chelmsford prison with Stephen Robinson 9 October 2008

The Government proposal this week for a new prison at Runwell near Chelmsford will not cut crime says Chelmsford Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Stephen Robinson. "Locking up more and more people, only for them to come out and commit more crime, is madness," said Mr Robinson.

"For far too many people, prison does NOT work. The only thing they learn inside is how to be a better criminal. It's time for Labour and the Conservatives to get serious about stopping people committing more crime, not their endless posturing about who will lock up more people.

"The Liberal Democrats will cut crime by medical treatment for prisoners with mental health and drug problems, and education programmes for prisoners to give them a chance of not committing more crime. That would be a better use of public money - and more effective in the long run.

"When I visited Chelmsford prison last October, with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, I saw at first hand the difference that proper training programmes can make. I also saw, though, how stupid it is to lock people up for very short sentences: it is a complete waste of time and taxpayers money. We need more effective punishments."