An early question for the next PM to ponder

Crime and punishment loomed large during the election campaign, and will be at the forefront of the national debate whatever the hue of the government that takes shape after yesterday’s election.

Boris Johnson’s pledge to ‘throw away the key’ where terrorists were concerned struck a chord with many, but surely there has to be a place for rehabilitation in any just penal system?

Today we have case studies from two offenders who said their lives had been turned around by rehabilitation programmes run as part of their probation provision after serving their sentences.

David Bayes, who believes he can trace his descent into a life of crime back to the age of 10, served time for crimes ranging from minor drug offences to attempted manslaughter.

But he says he now sees a brighter, crime-free future after attending a programme run by the Hampshire and Isle of wight Community Rehabilitation Company (CRCs).

Former Royal Navy submariner Graham Butterworth also credits a rehabilitation programme, for turning his life around and away from the temptations of binge-drinking and crime.

Surprising then that the last government set wheels in motion to scrap CRCs in 2020 after splitting the probation service into two in 2014.

Award-winning mentor Ernie Grenfell says it would be a mistake to lose the valuable work CRCs have achieved in rehabilitating offenders by helping to pave the way to a future free of crime.

Our police and our prisons, responsible in turn for tackling crime and punishing offenders, say cuts to their services have gone too far.

Should we also now be cutting back on rehabilitation schemes to help ex-offenders? That’s a good question. So over to you, prime minister.