'Prison-to-work' scheme could save £300m

Policy Exchange backs 'prisoner-to-work'

Thursday, 04, Sep 2008 12:01

The government should prioritise getting prisoners back into work to reduce re-offending, a Policy Exchange report claims.

The thinktank says over £300 million could be saved as a result of the move after its researchers analysed the relationship between employment and recidivism rates.

It believes the government could offer performance-based payment to any organisation willing to take on those released from prison.

And it believes councils, prisons and employers could all focus more on the issue by developing their facilities to help offenders find employment in "prison-to-work" schemes based on existing welfare-to-work models.

"Placing ex-offenders in employment is the key to tackling re-offending rates, reducing the high costs of crime and making communities safer," co-author Ben Ullmann said.

"By using the structures already in place for welfare-to-work programmes, the government could take real strides in breaking the vicious cycle of crime and re-incarceration."

Policy Exchange points out the move could also help deal with Britain's skills shortage problem, which affects one-third of employers.

Its proposals have been welcomed by the Prison Reform Trust, which says employment cuts the risk of re-offending by up to 50 per cent.

Its deputy director Geoff Hobson said: "Government should heed this report and in addition give immediate priority to reforming the arcane, complex Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974), which places unnecessary obstacles in the way of many ex-offenders who seek work."

The government says it already places great emphasis on getting offenders into employment. Over 100 employers have signed up to the Corporate Alliance, which increases the number of offenders going into jobs in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

A statement from the Ministry of Justice said: "We want to ensure that offenders in prisons and in the community should, where appropriate, have access to opportunities which enable them to gain the skills and qualifications to hold down a job and to play a positive role in society, so that they are less likely to commit further offences."

The department says it exceeded its target for getting offenders into employment in 2007/08 and cites the Cisco/Panduit Academy at HMP Wandsworth as a good example of the kind of vocational learning academy which is providing prisoners with much-needed skills in voice and data cable installation.