Archbishop attacks criminal justice system

The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken out over what he calls Britain's "obsession" with sending offenders to prison.

Rowan Williams criticises Britain's obsession with jailing offenders

Dr Williams criticised Britain's 'chaotic and ineffectual' penal system

In a speech on criminal justice, Dr Rowan Williams hinted that he believed many minor offences should not lead to jail and called for a commission of inquiry into the penal system.

He also warned against plans to extend privatisation in the prisons and probation sector.

Delivering a lecture to the Prison Reform Trust, Dr Williams said: "It is not surprising if we have a penal system that too often appears chaotic and ineffectual."

"I say nothing though a great deal could be said, and indeed has been said in the last week or so of the way in which the custodial obsession, the creation of more and more offences with a custodial tariff, simply chokes the prison system and compounds all the failures in responsibility for prisoners," he said.