Party Leader Graham Capill has attacked the proposal by Matt Robson to allow inmates conjugal rights as “amoral and another blow for victims who see prison life as little more than a holiday camp”.

Mr Capill said, “While there are many aspects of prison life which are degrading and unsatisfactory, this proposal effectively turns prison into a State owned brothel where not only married prisoners will have conjugal rights but also other prisoners with unspecified persons. Far from strengthening family ties, it is amoral and fails to teach the most basic element of rehabilitation: taking responsibility for one’s actions.

“The Government would be much better to promote and extend the home detention programme if it wants to strengthen the family life of prisoners. Prisons, however, should be places of strict discipline with minimal privileges.

“Also of grave concern is the idea of young children staying with their mothers in prison. Prison is not the place to raise children. Putting aside the general atmosphere which must be counter productive to raising healthy, well-balanced children, one must consider the “role models” such children will be influenced by. This proposal is a recipe to breed a new generation of career criminals,” Mr Capill said.

The Christian Heritage Party believes that prisons should be reserved for the most serious offenders and that the focus of all sentencing should fall on restoring victims. “This proposal has forgotten the victim, endangers children who will grow up to see prison as home, and is being justified solely by rather dubious claims of rehabilitation,” Mr Capill concluded.

© Scoop Media