Ministry of Justice
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Voluntary sector at forefront of new fight against reoffending
A major step towards completing the government’s crucial rehabilitation reforms was taken yesterday, as the organisations that will play a key role in turning round the lives of offenders were announced.
The move paves the way for the launch early next year of Government plans to extend support and supervision post-prison for 45,000 short sentence prisoners who are currently left to walk the streets after their release. Currently almost 60% of these reoffend within a year.
Twenty of the 21 contract areas will be led by new partnerships and joint ventures between private sector firms and some of Britain’s biggest and most successful rehabilitation charities. They will spend a full year after the release of every prisoner working with them to try to stabilise their lives and help prevent them from reoffending. They will work alongside a host of public and private sector organisations to introduce a new and innovative approach to rehabilitation across England and Wales.
Half of the partnerships chosen as preferred bidders also include new “mutual” organisations set up by current probation staff to take over their own organisations. The list of preferred bidders includes 16 charities and voluntary organisations, four probation staff mutuals and seven private companies, all with different expertise to bring to rehabilitation.
In addition, around 75% of the 300 subcontractors named in the successful bids are voluntary sector or mutual organisations, putting them at the frontline of offender rehabilitation as the Government battles against stubbornly high reoffending rates.
There was strong competition for each of the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs), with bids showing real innovation. This includes proposals for far greater use of new technologies, both to enable frontline staff to work more efficiently and to enhance offender supervision. A wide range of models for mentoring prisoners on release were also put forward, along with extensive new rehabilitation activities, and more targeted services for specific offender groups such as women or those with mental health problems.
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