A report analyzed the two-year re-offending rates of adults released from prison or commencing a community penalty in the first quarter of 2002. For the baseline cohort (2000), the actual two-year re-offending rate was 57.6 per cent. A further reduction of 4.8 percentage points was required to meet government targets.
Source: Lucy Cuppleditch and Warren Evans, Re-offending of Adults: Results from the 2002 cohort, Statistical Bulletin 25/05, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Bulletin
Date: 2005-Dec
The government published a Green Paper on reducing re-offending through skills and employment
Source: Reducing Reoffending through Skills & Employment, Cm 6702, Department for Education and Skills, Home Office, and Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Green Paper | Hansard | DfES press release | YJB press release | Nacro press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Dec
A think-tank report said that 45 per cent of prisoners lost contact with their family while inside: of those, roughly 27 per cent went on to re-offend.
Source: Investing in Family Ties: Reoffending and family visits to prisoners, New Philanthropy Capital (0207 401 8080)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Oct
A report examined drug-related mortality among newly released offenders in the years 1998 to 2000.
Source: Michael Farrell and John Marsden, Drug-related Mortality Among Newly Released Offenders 1998 to 2000, Online Report 40/05, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
An inspectorate report examined how well the probation service identified and addressed the accommodation needs of offenders. It highlighted the impact of the work on the risk of harm to offenders, the likelihood of re-offending, and prospects for successful community re-integration.
Source: An Essential Element of Effective Practice: An inspection of National Probation Service work on offender accommodation, HM Inspectorate of Probation (020 7035 2200)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A survey found that there were insufficient schemes to divert offenders with mental health problems out of the criminal justice system and into appropriate health services.
Source: Findings of the 2004 Survey of Court Diversion/Criminal Justice Mental Health Liaison Schemes for Mentally Disordered Offenders in England and Wales, National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (020 7582 6500)
Links: Report (Word file) | NACRO press release
Date: 2005-Jun
A literature review examined best practice in working with offenders to reduce their re-offending.
Source: Fergus McNeill, Susan Batchelor, Ros Burnett and Jo Knox, Reducing Re-offending: Key practice skills, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Apr
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the rehabilitation of prisoners.
Source: The Government Reply to the First Report from the Home Affairs Committee Session 2004-05 HC 193: Rehabilitation of Prisoners, Cm 6486, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response (pdf) | MPs report
Date: 2005-Mar
A report said that local councils were ideally placed to tackle the rising numbers of adult re-offenders. Many of the services that local councils provided - such as housing, education and social services - had been shown to make a significant contribution to the reduction of re-offending. A related research report investigated council provision of services for reducing re-offending, and assessed working relationships and level of contact between local authorities and agencies within the criminal justice system.
Source: Going Straight: Reducing re-offending in local communities, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000) | Reducing Re-offending: A survey of local authorities' work with the correctional services, Local Government Association
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Summary of research report (pdf) | LGA press release
Date: 2005-Feb
A report said that more investment in resettlement services was needed to reduce re-offending by released prisoners.
Source: Integrated Resettlement: Putting the pieces together, National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (020 7582 6500)
Links: NACRO press release
Date: 2005-Feb
Researchers interviewed 1,945 prisoners (in 2003) in the last three weeks of their sentence about their expectations concerning employment, training, education, and housing after release. Related factors such as previous employment, qualifications, housing plans, and activities in prison were also examined. There were no statistically significant changes between 2001 and 2003 in the proportions of prisoners with employment, training or education arranged on release (30 per cent for both surveys); or with accommodation arranged on release (67 per cent in 2001, 71 per cent in 2003).
Source: Stephen Niven and Duncan Stewart, Resettlement Outcomes on Release from Prison in 2003, Research Findings 248, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Findings (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
Researchers examined existing approaches to throughcare and aftercare services for people with drug problems returning to the community from prison and residential rehabilitation centres. Their report described the main approaches to aftercare, identified the key challenges to effective delivery, and highlighted some of the more promising practices in service delivery.
Source: Anne Fox et al., Throughcare and Aftercare: Approaches and promising practice in service delivery for clients released from prison or leaving residential rehabilitation, Online Report 01/05, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A bulletin described the key findings from a national five-year inspection programme which examined how the National Probation Service sought to ensure the needs of offenders were addressed, made available appropriate support services and accommodation, and promoted social inclusion and community safety.
Source: Supporting People: A five-year national inspection programme, Audit Commission (0800 502030), HM Inspectorate of Probation, and Commission for Social Care Inspection
Links: Bulletin (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
A report by a committee of MPs said that overcrowding was having a 'hugely damaging impact' on the delivery of rehabilitative regimes across the prison estate.
Source: Rehabilitation of Prisoners, First Report (Session 2004-05), HC 193, House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Howard League press release | Nacro press release | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Jan