Speech of the Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood at the Dinner to His Majesty's Judges at Mansion House

The transcript addresses the severe crisis in prisons, highlighting the lack of space and the potential collapse of the justice system. Immediate actions included early prisoner releases to manage space. A long-term plan involves building more prisons and a comprehensive review of sentencing to ensure sustainable management of the prison population. The review focuses on punishment, public protection, and rehabilitation, with an emphasis on using technology and alternative punishments outside of prison.

What drastic action did the speaker take to prevent the collapse of the prison system?

• Reduced the sentence length for some prisoners

• Increased the number of prison guards

• Closed down several prisons

• Transferred prisoners to other countries

What is the main focus of the long-term plan for the prison system?

• Building more prisons

• Increasing the number of police officers

• Reducing the number of court trials

• Improving prison food quality

Why does the speaker believe building more prisons is not a complete solution?

• It is not supported by the public

• It is too expensive

• It is not fast enough to meet demand

• It is against human rights

What is the first principle of the sentencing review?

• Punishing offenders and protecting the public

• Reducing the number of prisoners

• Encouraging offenders to reform

• Expanding non-prison punishments

How does the speaker propose to manage offenders outside of prison?

• By increasing police patrols

• By using advanced technology for monitoring

• By reducing their sentences

• By offering them jobs