Welcome move to help ex-prisoners

DEAR Editor, Dominic Raab announced his plan to solve the job crisis and cut reoffending rates in one fell swoop. After 50 years working to help prison leavers have the best chance at a second chance in life, Nacro welcomes this announcement.

Reoffending costs the UK economy around £18 billion a year, with only one in seven prison leavers finding work within the first six months of release, so it’s positive to see the Justice Secretary encouraging firms to invest in hiring those with criminal records and those due for release. Having an income, a structure to life is key to helping people with their rehabilitation, Mr Raab’s intention to ensure that everyone leaving prison has ID and a bank account, alongside work skills or a job upon release is very welcome, but there is one key omission.

Around 1,000 people are released from prison directly into homelessness every month. Without a safe and secure home, despite recent welcome measures to support prison leavers, we are simply setting people up to fail.

Rehabilitation is a delicate web, each individual strand is there to support prison leavers, we know everyone leaving prison needs somewhere to live, work, ID, a bank account, access to health services, and positive community links and relationships to change their lives. When one strand is missing, we risk people falling through.

Mr Raab focus on rehabilitation is a good start, the spending review will be the next opportunity for the Justice Secretary to turn these plans into a reality and expand his vision to include housing for everyone leaving prison.

Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Nacro