Open prisons are a key part of resettlement

The problems identified in the Independent Monitoring Board's report on HM Prison Ford are longstanding ( Ministers were warned over security at riot prison , 14 January). In 2008 the chief inspector of prisons found: "The prison's extensive perimeter made night supervision extremely difficult. This contributed to the smuggling in of alcohol, especially at night, which had become a significant problem." However, that report also pointed to the need for improved management and a minority of staff who were negative. It concluded that Ford has a great deal of potential and many good and committed staff. Open prisons have a vital role in a prison estate coping with a huge increase in numbers. They are an essential stage in resettlement, requiring careful selection, preparation and supervision, together with a range of effective links to community resources. Instead of rushing to judgment, the current review provides an opportunity to take stock of the development of category D prisons and to further enhance their contribution to public safety. Geoff Dobson Deputy director, Prison Reform Trust • Your report concerning the function of an open prison will have caused much dismay among students in the closed prison system ( The truth about life in an open prison , 14 January). You quote Graham Batchford, the governor of North Sea Camp, as saying: "I think it would be dangerous and damaging to release prisoners who have served 10, 15, 20 years from a closed establishment." This is political claptrap. I was released in the 1990s from HMP Frankland to the English department at Nottingham University. On behalf of all those prisoners hoping to study one day, I write to say that Governor Batchford would do well to remember WB Yeats: "I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." Thomas Ryder Nottingham