Our response to the Government’s statement on Criminal Justice

Last month, the Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, made a statement to the House of Commons, in which he set out the government’s approach to criminal justice and their plan to tackle prison overcrowding .? This approach broadly separates prisoners into two groups: those who commit a crime serious enough to warrant a long-term sentence and those in prison for sentences under a year whom they plan not to incarcerate.

It is positive that the Justice Secretary has acknowledged: ?

‘…all too often, the circumstances which lead to an initial offence are exacerbated by a short stint in prison, with offenders losing their homes, breaking contact with key support networks…When they are released, just a short time later, they all too often re-offend – fuelled by addiction or mental health issues which cannot possibly be addressed effectively in such a short space of time.

And the fact is, over 50% of people who leave prison after serving less than twelve months go on to commit further crimes. The figure is 58% for those who serve sentences of six months or less. And yet those who are on suspended sentence orders with conditions, for them the figure is 22%.’

When we look at these statistics, the evidence speaks for itself: prison is not rehabilitating people - unsurprising considering factors affecting offender behaviour, highlighted in the 2021 Ministry of Justice Prison Strategy Whitepaper, amongst which are ‘ employment and education, healthcare and accommodation .’ How can a short prison sentence address these vital areas of well-being and sustainable lifestyle?

In his latest statement, the Justice Secretary did not address the statistics of those serving over a year or any clearly defined commitment to rehabilitation for those serving a custodial sentence. However, the government has an equal duty to facilitate rehabilitative support for all and empower people serving longer sentences to reintegrate into their communities. When people have a longer sentence, this can be an opportunity to support them to achieve educational gains.

The House of Commons Education Committee shared a report last year highlighting that one of the most critical factors in reducing re-offending is getting prison leavers into employment, which can reduce the chance of re-offending by up to nine percentage points compared to those without a job upon release. However, significant numbers of people leaving prison fail to find employment; the proportion of former prisoners in P45 employment one year after release is just 17%.

Amongst the reasons the Education Committee identified for this low employment rate is significantly under-resourced education provision, with funding continually declining in this area. This is frustrating because whilst data collation and assessment of education impact could be better within prisons, there is clear evidence that participating in prison education reduces the likelihood of reoffending by 7.5%. To gain employment, people in prison need to upskill and gain formal qualifications essential to self-confidence, problem-solving skills and, of course, succeeding in a job role. ??

Another barrier to employment is the need for appropriate courses to help people acquire the skills employers need. The prison curriculum needs to be adaptive to the job market. Some prisons in the UK have facilitated Employment Hubs that effectively function as mini job centres, allowing employers to share their needs and supporting prisoners to adapt responsively, get a bank account and acquire accreditation. ?

Employment Hubs have rolled out in 92 UK prisons. Their success rates in helping people to work and remain employed are evident. This year, the government shared that between April 2022 - April 2023, the percentage of prison leavers finding work within six weeks of release increased from 15% to 19%, with a further 30% in work after 6 months, up from 23%.

Why are Employment Hubs yielding results that the broader prison service is not? Two vital factors: Purpose and Partnership.

Purpose

To leave a trauma-inducing environment like a prison and ‘get a job’ or turn up for a job opportunity offered through a scheme is difficult and poses barriers. People need motivation with purpose and reward. Employment Hubs encourage people in prison with a tangible goal and empower them to take steps toward it, with practical and psychological support provided. Securing employment must begin in prison, and practical steps like producing a CV, opening a bank account and understanding the nature of employment, help build self-confidence and resilience to overcome challenges like applying for accreditation and working towards qualifications.

Partnership

Employment Hubs are supported by employers committed to providing employment opportunities for people leaving prison. They bring efficient operating methods to counter the prison service’s institutionalised and siloed work methods. Whilst the Government’s Prison Strategy Whitepaper 2021 only briefly acknowledges the work charities do to upskill, support and enable prisoners whilst serving their sentences, Lord Bradley, former Minister of State for UK Prisons, Parole and Probation, acknowledges that successful outcomes in prisoner rehabilitation and resettlement occur when charities are involved in a partnership model with statutory agencies.

We can attest to this from our CFO Activity Hubs, which work with people on a license to help develop confidence and motivation through practical and relational skill sets. Activities like cooking, sports and drama enable licensees to have self-worth, a sense of identity, altruism and teamwork. There are opportunities to participate in the community to acquire social and practical skills and work experience.

These combined activities and interventions create a foundation licensees can build on in mainstream education, training and employment services. To support people to desist from crime, we need more opportunities that enable and empower people to live honest, law-abiding lives in the community. The activities and opportunities our CFO Activity Hubs provide must be provided to all those in the prison system in the community or prison, regardless of the sentence length and not limited to six weeks upon release, as is currently available.

We call for a shift in mentality to view the purpose of investing public funds into the criminal justice system for rehabilitation and an opportunity to create equity in our society. Employment creates equity by empowering people to live autonomous, independent, fulfilling lives. It creates an opportunity for people to contribute positively to their communities so that many can benefit. ????