What amazes me is how far away from the world of reality our Prison system has removed itself.
Is the system designed to punish or to reform offenders?
If the purpose is to punish then it clearly isn’t working as there were 60,000 people incarcerated in 1997 and today there are in excess of 80,000.

10 years ago the statistics showed:
• 60% of offenders released from prison were reconvicted of another offence within two years.
• 58% of offenders who received a probation order were reconvicted.
• 42% of offenders who began a community service were reconvicted of further offences
• 40 % of offenders who received fines were reconvicted of further offences

In 2002, in Scotland, over 80% of sentences were for 6 months or less and 70% of individuals were re-offenders.

In 2009 the statistics show that the position has deteriorated again and that the system clearly still isn’t working.

If the system is designed to reform the offender then why are there now over 70% of prisoners who re-offend within 6 months of their release?
In Scotland more than 30% of those who are locked up have committed minor offences, which include motoring offences, petty theft and non-payment of fines – around 2,500 people!!!

Each prisoner in Scotland will cost the taxpayer £35,000 each year to keep in prison.

For prisoners who are serving a ‘short’ sentence of less than 3 years there is little or no provision for employability preparation for their release and therefore the great majority have no job, no income and no home to go to on their release.
Is it any wonder that they re-offend?

Is it any wonder that when asked, over 70% of young offenders would opt to stay in prison rather than being released - because perhaps it is a better life in prison?

In a recent survey it was found that employability reduces the risk of re-offending between a third and a half. Over 70% of young men leaving prison have no job to go to on release.

It has also been shown that 39% of women prisoners had not worked for a year prior to imprisonment and 23% had not worked for over five years.  It is clear that employment is a major factor in improving the chance of successful resettlement.

It is essential that work opportunity and training be provided to enhance employability while prisoners are in custody.  However it is essential that when they are making the transition from custody to outside prison that the support be maintained.

This can be done through:
• Individual Action Planning to work towards achieving employment goals
• Employability training to enhance skills for the work place
• Work Placement opportunities while in custody to begin to prepare and train prisoners in employability skills
• Close links with local companies to enable quality work placements and training for all prisoners
• Intensive support when ex-offenders move from custody to freedom to enable them to achieve their employability goals
• Aftercare Support when participants gain employment and enable them to sustain employment

Perhaps as Kenny MacAskill, the Justice Minister has proposed, those offenders who commit minor crimes should have an alternative to Prison – employability training is one approach.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 at 11:32 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.