SECRET BAIL HOSTELS!

Bail Hostel

Hundreds of bail hostels are being secretly prepared in suburban areas across England and Wales to house criminals released early from overcrowded prisons.

Around 150 will open next month in both small towns and major cities with little or no consultation with nearby residents!

David Hanson, the prisons minister, claimed that they only will accommodate those awaiting trial..."It's for people who have not been found guilty...the courts rule they are a safe risk to be put into the community while awaiting trial."

The hostels are run by a private firm called Clearsprings, who won a Government contract, and are not supervised 24 hours a day.

But Clearspring's web page tells a different story, according to the newspaper. "The bail accommodation support services scheme will provide accommodation and support for offenders who are nearing the end of their sentence and are eligible to be released on Home Detention Curfew."

David Hanson admitted that, because they are in residential areas, and the buildings do not require planning permission, in some cases Clearsprings did not consult residents and councils about the hostels.

Tory justice spokesman Nick Herbert said: "It's wrong to house prisoners in residential areas simply because the Government has failed to provide enough jail spaces, but doubly wrong that local people are never consulted beforehand.

"Placing offenders in housing where they receive almost no supervision or support is no way to provide effective rehabilitation and places the public at unnecessary risk."

But the Ministry of Justice said: "Clearsprings is under a contractual obligation to consult in areas where they are to open bail accommodation. Any reports that it has failed to do so will be investigated."

"Those in Clearsprings accommodation are innocent until proven guilty. Defendants who pose a risk to the public will continue to be held on remand."

(Secret Bail Hostels)

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