Licenced jail release returns treble

The number of offenders being recalled to prison after being released on licence in the community has more than trebled in the last five years and is set to increase further according to a report published today by the Prison Reform Trust.

The report, Recycling Offenders Through Prison, reveals that the dramatic rise in people being returned to custody is one of the hidden factors behind the increase in the prison population which reached record levels this month. It says that in some local prisons they make up nearly ten per cent of the jail's population.

It states that the rise is not due to prisoners who are on licence in the community committing further crimes but is a result of tougher enforcement by the Probation Service. The majority of those who are recalled to prison have failed to comply with licence requirements, such as attending Probation appointments.

Enver Solomon, the author of the report, said: “The untold story of the record prison population is the large number of offenders who do not pose a threat to the public but are being dragged back into overcrowded, overstretched jails at great expense to the taxpayer. Prisons exist to protect the public and detain serious, persistent criminals rather than warehouse people who have done their time and need support in the community to rebuild their lives."

The report calls for a review of the national standards for breach of licence conditions so they are less punitive in promoting compliance. It also says that offenders on licence need to be given more support to access services so they can stay out of prison and lead law-abiding lives.

Calling for improvements in the transfer of information, access to legal advice and support, the report also calls for better induction arrangements, assessment and sentence planning for offenders recalled to custody.

(CD/SP)