£70m for prison leavers to prevent reoffending

Homeless prison leavers will be temporarily housed in basic hostels to reduce the risk of them reoffending, backed by £70 million of new investment.

Analysis suggests that offenders are 50 per cent more likely to break the law again if released without somewhere to stay. Prisons and Probation Minister Lucy Frazer has announced that more than £20 million will be invested in supporting prison leavers at risk of homelessness into temporary basic accommodation for up to 12 weeks, giving them the foundation for a crime-free life.

Launching in five of the 12 National Probation Service regions, it will support around 3,000 offenders in its first year. While there, offenders will get help to find a permanent home so there is less reason for them to turn back to crime. At least £23 million of funding will go towards the Government’s plans to build 200 new spaces in Approved Premises (APs), formerly known as bail hostels, which allow probation staff to closely monitor and support the highest-risk offenders in the community.

The expansion is expected to see an extra 1,700 prison leavers receive closer supervision each year, boosting public safety.

Frazer said: “Releasing prisoners without addressing why they ended up there in the first place, only leads them to reoffend and cause more harm. By tackling homelessness, we are cutting crime, reducing drug and alcohol misuse and making our streets safer. This low-cost solution has the potential to save billions for the taxpayer and prevent thousands of people becoming victims.”