Big rise in number of offenders breaching licences

THE NUMBER of offenders returned to prison for breaching licence conditions after serving short sentences has “skyrocketed”, a watchdog has warned.

Sir Amyas Morse, the head of the National Audit Office, flagged up the rise in a highly critical report on a controversial part-privatisation of probation services.

From 2015, criminals given a custodial sentence became subject to statutory supervision and rehabilitation upon release.

Previously, convicts who had served less than one year did not have to be supervised by probation services.

Between January 2015 and September 2018, the number of offenders recalled to prison for breaching licence conditions increased by 47 per cent, from 4,240 to 6,240. Those recalled to custody who had served less than 12 months increased from three per cent to 36 per cent.

Sir Amyas said: “Not only have these failings been extremely costly for taxpayers, but we have seen the number of people on short sentences recalled to prison skyrocket.”

The number of reviews carried out when a supervised offender is charged with a serious sexual or violent crime increased by almost a quarter, from 507 in 2015/16 to 627 in 2017/18.

In 2013, the Ministry of Justice embarked on major reforms which saw the creation of the National Probation Service to deal with high-risk cases, while remaining work was assigned to 21 community rehabilitation companies (CRCs).

Prisons and Probation Minister Rory Stewart said: “I am pleased that the report recognises the strong performance of the National Probation Service in looking after our higher risk offenders.

“But the performance of the CRCs, which look after our lower risk offenders is too often deeply disappointing. That is why we have stepped in to end contracts early and invested an extra £22m a year in services for offenders on release.”