Reducing Reoffending 2024-03-26
2024-03-26
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
▸
Context
MP asks about steps taken to reduce reoffending, referencing the Welsh Affairs Committee's hearing on businesses working with prisons.
What steps he is taking to reduce reoffending? He may be aware that the Welsh Affairs Committee has recently heard from businesses such as Timpson and Williams Homes about work being done. While there was praise for the New Futures Network, what is being done to expand release on temporary licence schemes?
Reducing reoffending is a core mission. Rolled out 12 weeks' guaranteed accommodation for offenders and invested in employment with prison employment leads in every resettlement prison. Reoffending rate fell from 31% to 25%. Prisoners' employability improved, with the proportion of prison leavers in employment more than doubling.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
▸
Context
MP asks about steps taken to reduce reoffending, referencing the Welsh Affairs Committee's hearing on businesses working with prisons.
What is being done to expand release on temporary licence schemes? They are important for improving employability and giving prisoners a better chance of holding down a job when they get out.
Praising the New Futures Network, which does exceptional work in custody. Prisoners can be interviewed by employers on the outside through video suites. Prison governors keep ROTL under review for safe cases to ensure rehabilitation and employment.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3
Direct Answer
▸
Context
MP asks about steps taken to reduce the amount of drugs getting into prisons.
The Secretary of State will know that one of the ways to reduce reoffending is by breaking the cycle of drug misuse. The problem is high incidence of drugs getting in, so what is he doing to reduce this?
Rolled out £100 million in prison gate security with airport-style scanners for body and mail scanning. Additional technology scans mail for psychoactive substances impregnated into paper. Rolled out drug abstinence wings to tackle drugs coming into prisons.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
▸
Context
MP welcomes comments on tackling reoffending but notes stubbornly high rates of reoffending despite high imprisonment rates.
We imprison more people than most of our neighbours in Europe, but still have higher rates of reoffending. Does that not posit the need for a smarter use of prison and alternatives to custody? Would he agree the Sentencing Bill is valuable?
Stripping out emotion, following evidence: GPS tags doubled; alcohol tags with 97% compliance rate show lower reoffending rates. The Sentencing Bill provides tools for politicians to make more intelligent use of prison and alternatives to custody.
▸
Assessment & feedback
The specific ask about smart sentencing is not directly addressed, focusing instead on the value of the Sentencing Bill.
Response accuracy
Q5
Direct Answer
▸
Context
MP thanks Secretary of State for commitment to physical and skills training, asks about education in prisons.
Thank you. You are never going to let me forget my birthday. I thank the Secretary of State for his answers on training. The other important issue is education. If we keep minds and bodies active, they will not offend when leaving prison, so what is being done to help with education?
Rolling out a prison education service with £150 million annually. Ensuring education provided is tailored to local job opportunities through tie-ups between employment advisory boards, governors, and New Futures Network. Tailored education helps literacy for hospitality jobs.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy