UK might deport criminals to the EU, reports the Telegraph
Estonia is being explored as a potential option for renting prison space to address the overcrowding crisis in Britain's jails. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The British government is reportedly exploring the possibility of renting space in Estonian prisons due to the issue of overcrowded jails at home.
The British Ministry of Justice is assessing whether certain offenders could serve their sentences in Estonian facilities as a solution to alleviate domestic overcrowding, as reported by The Telegraph on Friday.
Late last month, Estonia announced that it could offer prison space and accommodate offenders from other countries, generating additional revenue for its state budget.
According to the report citing sources within the British government, this contentious option was “on the table” given the severity of the overcrowding situation. The Ministry of Justice is looking into “all viable options” to enhance capacity, noting that UK prisons are “on the point of collapse.”
Current projections indicate the British prison population is expected to grow from around 89,000 to between 93,100 and 106,300 by March 2027. Men’s prisons in England and Wales nearly experienced a shortage of cells last month, with only 83 available spaces, The Telegraph noted.
Estonia's low crime rate has resulted in its prisons being half empty, and the government anticipates that its prison-renting initiative could bring in a much-needed €30 million annually.
UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to meet with her Estonian counterpart, Liisa Pakosta, to discuss the prison leasing proposal during a Council of Europe event in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Thursday.
Despite this exploration, British officials are wary that the initiative could prove “very expensive.” They have dismissed the option of renting prison space in countries such as the Netherlands, where the annual cost per inmate approaches nearly £100,000.
In contrast, the cost of housing a prisoner in Eastern European and Baltic nations, including Estonia, ranges from £10,000 to £20,000 annually, while in England and Wales, it costs approximately £50,000 per prisoner to keep them incarcerated, with constructing a prison costing around £600,000 per inmate.
Officials express concerns that any negotiations regarding jail rentals might lead to costs doubling, as other countries may seek a premium for offering prison space. Additionally, logistical expenses such as flights and the deployment of British prison staff to Estonia would need to be considered.
Another aspect under discussion is whether taxpayers would be responsible for covering the travel costs for family members to visit inmates in Estonia.
In the meantime, some senior former judges in England and Wales have suggested that “radical solutions” such as allowing earlier parole for violent offenders, including killers and rapists, should be considered to address the overcrowding crisis, as reported by The Guardian on Friday. Other proposals reportedly include the release of all prisoners serving minimal sentences and the reassessment of elderly, dying, or dementia-affected inmates for potential release.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
The British Ministry of Justice is assessing whether certain offenders could serve their sentences in Estonian facilities as a solution to alleviate domestic overcrowding, as reported by The Telegraph on Friday.
Late last month, Estonia announced that it could offer prison space and accommodate offenders from other countries, generating additional revenue for its state budget.
According to the report citing sources within the British government, this contentious option was “on the table” given the severity of the overcrowding situation. The Ministry of Justice is looking into “all viable options” to enhance capacity, noting that UK prisons are “on the point of collapse.”
Current projections indicate the British prison population is expected to grow from around 89,000 to between 93,100 and 106,300 by March 2027. Men’s prisons in England and Wales nearly experienced a shortage of cells last month, with only 83 available spaces, The Telegraph noted.
Estonia's low crime rate has resulted in its prisons being half empty, and the government anticipates that its prison-renting initiative could bring in a much-needed €30 million annually.
UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to meet with her Estonian counterpart, Liisa Pakosta, to discuss the prison leasing proposal during a Council of Europe event in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Thursday.
Despite this exploration, British officials are wary that the initiative could prove “very expensive.” They have dismissed the option of renting prison space in countries such as the Netherlands, where the annual cost per inmate approaches nearly £100,000.
In contrast, the cost of housing a prisoner in Eastern European and Baltic nations, including Estonia, ranges from £10,000 to £20,000 annually, while in England and Wales, it costs approximately £50,000 per prisoner to keep them incarcerated, with constructing a prison costing around £600,000 per inmate.
Officials express concerns that any negotiations regarding jail rentals might lead to costs doubling, as other countries may seek a premium for offering prison space. Additionally, logistical expenses such as flights and the deployment of British prison staff to Estonia would need to be considered.
Another aspect under discussion is whether taxpayers would be responsible for covering the travel costs for family members to visit inmates in Estonia.
In the meantime, some senior former judges in England and Wales have suggested that “radical solutions” such as allowing earlier parole for violent offenders, including killers and rapists, should be considered to address the overcrowding crisis, as reported by The Guardian on Friday. Other proposals reportedly include the release of all prisoners serving minimal sentences and the reassessment of elderly, dying, or dementia-affected inmates for potential release.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
