John Reid's further problems this weekend have forced prisons onto the media agenda again, why we send people there and what prisoners achieve whilst banged up.  Johann Hari in The Independent today rehearses the kind of liberal arguments that most readers of this blog would agree with:

"This waste is being replicated at Her Majesty's sadistic Pleasure across Britain. The Adult Learning Inspectorate has reported that 60 per cent of prisons are failing to provide adequate training, and only 8 per cent of prisoners are doing meaningful work."

Johann Hari, The Independent

More simply put is a very short filler in The Times which merely presents data collected by the International Centre of Prison Studies comparing the prison populations in different countries:

• USA - 738

• Russia - 611
  

• Poland - 230
• Scotland - 149
  
• England and Wales - 148
  
• The Netherlands - 128
  
• Germany - 95
  
• France - 85
  
• Sweden - 82
  
• Irish Republic - 72
  
• Slovenia - 65

The Government contends that the fall in crime is inextricably linked with the record high prison population.  However, many others believe that by following in the footsteps of America we are merely institutionalising crime as a part of our society.

Is this part of the crime debate that the Lib Dems are willing to highlight in their "We can cut crime" campaign?

Also in today's news:

• You Gov's monthly poll in The Telegraph says Lab 31 (-2); Con 38 (+1); Lib Dem 18(+1)