Another failed policy

A week or so ago I wrote about how Jack Straw was trying to claim that it is not a lack of planning that we have so few places in our prisons, but rather we are locking up too many criminals (I think he learnt that argument on day one of spin school).  On that same day the Ministry of Justice started its programme of releasing prisoners early to free up some cells.  Well, let's see how successful this new government’s policy was.  Today the Times reports (bare in mind this is only week one!): 

-Thirty criminals who were freed from jail to ease overcrowding broke the terms of their release, including committing further crimes within seven days, the Justice Ministry admitted yesterday.-

-Twelve offenders who were freed 18 days early have been returned to jail, and police are searching for the remaining 18, who are on the run.-

Not only have 30 of these hoodlums re-offended, but they have lost 18 of them!  You could not make this up.  It was also disclosed that one prisoner was freed a week earlier than the eligible early release date and that two offenders were returned to prison after being freed without proper authorisation by prison officials.  They are the ones they noticed - how many got through the net?  The MoJ are completely inept are doing the basic things they supposed to do.  Putting them in charge of our most dangerous criminals is like setting Boris Johnson being free to run one of the most important cities in world...