A new book examined resettlement policy and practice in England and Wales. It outlined recent developments in the area, and explored the issues and challenges associated with resettlement for particular groups of offenders.
Source: Anthea Hucklesby and Lystra Hagley-Dickinson (eds.), Prisoner Resettlement: Policy and practice, Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Oct
An article examined the effect of labour market changes on the rehabilitation of offenders. Many offenders had been consigned to the margins of the labour force and spend much of their working lives in the informal labour market, with potentially profound consequences for re-offending.
Source: Del Roy Fletcher, 'Offenders in the post-industrial labour market: lubricating the revolving door?', People, Place & Policy, Volume 1 Issue 2
Links: Article
Date: 2007-Sep
An article said that supporting the family ties of prisoners in order to reduce re-offending had some value: but the approach was problematic on a number of grounds.
Source: Helen Codd, 'Prisoners' families and resettlement: a critical analysis', Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 46 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jul
A think-tank report said that local guidance and expertise were vital in reducing rates of re-offending: but that they might be undermined by provisions in the Offender Management Bill.
Source: Victoria Barbary, Reducing Re-offending: Creating the right framework, New Local Government Network (020 7357 0051)
Links: Report | NLGN press release
Date: 2007-Jun
The government announced pilot schemes under which a personalized skills assessment would be made available in prisons and in the community to identify offenders who would benefit from a programme of employment-focused learning and skills training to reduce re-offending.
Source: Press release 17 May 2007, Department for Education and Skills (0870 000 2288)
Links: DfES press release
Date: 2007-May
A study found that 17 per cent of offenders sampled believed they had no social or individual problems, and 47 per cent thought they had no problems which were linked to offending. Of those offenders who thought they were very likely to offend again, over half (56 per cent) said that they had a problem with drugs.
Source: Robin Moore, Adult Offenders? Perceptions of Their Underlying Problems: Findings from the OASys self-assessment questionnaire, Research Findings 284, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Findings
Date: 2007-May
A new book provided a critical overview of social work with offenders in Scotland. Reducing re-offending required a much broader commitment to promoting and realizing justice in the community.
Source: Fergus McNeil and Bill Whyte, Reducing Reoffending: Social work with offenders in Scotland, Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Apr
Researchers examined a range of studies on mentoring to assess how successful mentoring was in reducing re-offending. Of the 18 studies assessed, 7 showed that mentoring had a statistically significant positive impact on re-offending.
Source: Darrick Jolliffe and David Farrington, A Rapid Evidence Assessment of the Impact of Mentoring on Re-offending: A summary, Online Report 11/07, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report said that thousands of prisoners were at risk of re-offending because they did not get the support they needed when released. Many found themselves homeless and hungry because they were not given advice and support on housing, benefits and debt.
Source: Locked Out: CAB evidence on prisoners and ex-offenders, Citizens Advice (020 7833 2181)
Links: Summary | Citizens Advice press release | Nacro press release | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report analyzed the two-year proven re-offending rates of adults - those aged 18 and over at date of sentence or on release from prison - who were released from prison or commenced a community penalty in the first quarter of 2004 (the 2004 cohort). In 2004 the actual re-offending rate was 2.1 percentage points lower than in 2000, at 55.5 per cent.
Source: Jack Cunliffe and Adrian Shepherd, Re-offending of Adults: Results from the 2004 Cohort, Statistical Bulletin 06/07, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Bulletin | HMP press release
Date: 2007-Mar
An article reported research that investigated employment for sex offenders following release from prison. The approach taken by the state served to increase the barriers to, and reduce the opportunities for, employment for sex offenders.
Source: Kevin Brown, Jon Spencer and Jo Deakin, 'The reintegration of sex offenders: barriers and opportunities for employment', Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 46 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Feb
A report evaluated a programme which prioritized, and directed resources at, the small number of offenders responsible for a disproportionate amount of all crime. Comparing the total number of convictions in the 17 months before and following the programme showed that there had been a 43 per cent reduction in offending by the entire cohort. A linked report highlighted good practice elements identified during the evaluation.
Source: Paul Dawson and Lucy Cuppleditch, An Impact Assessment of the Prolific and Other Priority Offender Programme, Online Report 08/07, Home Office (web publication only) | Paul Dawson, The National PPO Evaluation ? Research to Inform and Guide Practice, Online Report 09/07, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report | Good practice report | Home Office press release
Date: 2007-Feb
An article presented findings from the evaluation of a project which targeted the resettlement needs and/or offending behaviour of adults sentenced to prison for under 12 months, who were not subject to post-release supervision. The results suggested that such interventions could significantly reduce the problems faced by this group, as well as having a positive effect on their attitudes to crime.
Source: Sam Lewis, Mike Maguire, Peter Raynor, Maurice Vanstone and Julie Vennard, 'What works in resettlement? Findings from seven pathfinders for short-term prisoners in England and Wales', Criminology and Criminal Justice, Volume 7 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jan