'Risk' of danger men in open jails

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There are fears inmates are not being "properly assessed" before being moved to open conditions, Colin Moses, national chairman of the Prison Officers Association, told the BBC's Panorama.

But Justice Secretary Jack Straw told the BBC all prisoners moved to lower security jails had been "rigorously risk assessed".

Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers (Napo), shared Mr Moses' concerns.

He told the broadcaster: "I've certainly been worried for 15-18 months that individuals are being transferred into open jails who pose a risk to the public. The worry is they are not being properly assessed."

The prison population of England and Wales last week reached a record high of more than 80,000 and is believed to be more than 90,000 including Scotland.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "The numbers of absconds from prisons is at its lowest level in the last 10 years, despite an increasing population. Public protection is paramount and all prisoners located in open conditions have been rigorously risk assessed.

"Open prisons are the most effective means of ensuring prisoners are tested in the community before they are released.

"To release prisoners directly from a closed prison without the resettlement benefits of the open estate would undoubtedly lead to higher levels of post-release reoffending.

"Time spent in open prisons affords prisoners the opportunity to find work, re-establish family ties, reintegrate into the community and ensure housing needs are met. For long-term prisoners these are essential components for successful resettlement and an important factor in protecting the public."