Invest in education and care to reduce prison populations - Hussein-Ece (Oswestry Liberal Democrats)

Oswestry Liberal Democrats <info@oswestrylibdems.org.uk>

Invest in education and care to reduce prison populations - Hussein-Ece

July 18, 2010 12:21 PM

Friday July 16th, Liberal Democrat peer Baroness (Meral) Hussein-Ece spoke for the first time in the House of Lords in a debate on reform of the criminal justice system.

Drawing upon her experiences of growing up in an immigrant family in a deprived area, she spoke on the need to reduce prison populations by taking better care of the vulnerable in our society, including people with mental health problems and children in care.

Speaking in the debate, Baroness Hussein-Ece said:

"I went to school with children from some of the most deprived backgrounds and spent my school holidays with my family in Turkey and Cyprus. My early formative years have left me with a lifelong passion for, and commitment to, championing the cause of a more equal society.

"Overwhelming evidence highlights that there are now more people in prison with long-standing mental health problems and learning disabilities than ever before… Many of these people end up in prison because, as the staff told me, there is simply nowhere else to send them.

"I believe that instead of expanding prisons we should be looking at meaningful ways to reduce the prison population.

"Practical and consistent rehabilitation is surely a better investment."

Responding to her maiden speech, Liberal Democrat peer Lord Addington said: "She has had a very distinguished local government career and having been in touch with issues outside the House, that will have an effect on this Parliament and beyond. She knows what she is talking about."