Prison overcrowding: Can the police and the courts cope?

An emergency plan to try to ease prison overcrowding has been started by the government – as courts continue to hear cases involving those accused of rioting earlier in the month.  <br /> <br />Across northern England and parts of the Midlands, those waiting for a court appearance will now be held in police cells until there’s a prison place for them. <br /> <br />“Operation Early Dawn” was started on Monday morning. <br /> <br />On this episode, Niall Paterson assess the potential impact on courts and the police. <br /> <br />He speaks to Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, Philip Jones, custody lead at the National Police Federation and Sky communities correspondent, Becky Johnson.  <br />  <br />Becky also explains the context and longer-term plan for the prison system. <br /><br />Producers: Soila Apparicio, Emma Rae Woodhouse <br />Editor: Paul Stanworth <br />