The Home Office statistics released by campaign group SmartJustice show that the numbers of Black and Minority Ethnic people entering prison grew by 37 per cent while the white prison population grew by just 4 per cent between 1998 and 2002.

The figures can only partly be explained by a national rise in the BME population - as black British prisoners now make up 12 per cent of the prison population and only 2 per cent of the population as a whole.

The Black and Minority Ethnic prison population grew by 124 per cent in the ten years up to 2002 compared to a 55 per cent rise in the total prison population.

The SmartJustice report - The Racial Justice Gap - highlights the fact that BME groups are over represented at every stage of the criminal justice process from stop and search to custody. New figures from the Youth Justice Board show that young black and Asian people are more likely to be refused bail than young white people.

It also gives examples of positive interventions, which are steering young black people away from the criminal justice system at an early stage. These include the From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation in Peckham, Right Track in Bristol and the National Black Boys Can Association.

These groups work with young black people to restore self-esteem that may have been battered by a life-time of disadvantage and racism, instilling pride and unlocking potential which may well have remained overlooked by the mainstream.

SmartJustice believes that work of these groups should be supported and their models expanded in order to stem the rising tide of the black prison population.

Chris, 38, former black prisoner who spent a total of 17 years in detention centres and prisons in a series of short sentences says who is now an actor says,"If I'd been given the opportunity and been treated more like a human being - I'd have developed this potential earlier on. Instead I was labelled as a black offender from Peckham."

SmartJustice Director Lucie Russell says, "The government must act to check the vast over-representation of Black and Minority Ethnic people in the prison system. Jailing disproportionate numbers of black and ethnic minority people is neither smart nor fair. With, according to the CRE, more black young men entering jail than university we risk alienating and losing a generation."

The report is to be launched at the GLA's Respect Festival in Victoria Park, East London this Saturday. SmartJustice will be attending the festival as part of its 'Revolving Door Tour' - a series of publicity events which underline public safety fears over the increasing prison population

For a full copy of the report or interviews with Lucie Russell, Chris, From Boyhood To Manhood Foundation, Right Track or Black Boys Can, please contact Lucie Russell or Sam Hart on 0207 689 7734 or 07931 507 873 or 07740531250

www.smartjustice.org

Notes to Editors:

1. SmartJustice is a three year campaign based at the Prison Reform Trust and funded by the Network for Social Change

2. The Revolving Door will appear at The Respect Festival, Victoria Park, East London 17th July and Hackney Council's Stop the Violence Campaign in Spring Hill Sports Ground, Clapton, east London on 18th July. For more dates and details visit the SmartJustice Website www.smartjustice.org

3. Key Facts:

Prison receptions of all known black and minority ethnic groups increased by 37 per cent between 1998 - 2002 - more than 8 times the increase for white prisoners

The numbers of Black people, Chinese and other, South Asians and White people rose by 34 per cent, 61 per cent , 24 per cent and 4 per cent respectively during the same period

Black British prisoners make up 12 per cent of the prison population and two per cent of the general population

Self-report surveys show that there is little difference in offending rates between different ethnic groups

Black people are six times more likely than white people to be stopped and searched