Calls for more prison funding drowned out by tough talk on sentencing

The immediate crisis is prison capacity, campaigners say, which is fuelled by longer sentences. Composite: Guardian Design/Corbis/Getty Images

In the run-up to next year’s general election, the debate on criminal justice often seems to amount to repeated promises to “lock ‘em up and throw away the key”.

After the alleged escape of a terror suspect from HMP Wandsworth, which highlighted chaos within the system, campaigners for reform say urgent action is required on staffing levels, infrastructure and overcrowding.