Justice Committee launches new inquiry into reoffending levels
The Justice Committee is to examine levels of reoffending in England and Wales as it launches its first new inquiry of the Parliament.
MPs on the newly-appointed cross-party committee, chaired by Labour MP Andy Slaughter, will look in detail at the rehabilitative regimes offered across training and resettlement prisons within the male and female prison estate, including for remand prisoners, IPP prisoners and those in youth custody.
Launched on Tuesday (November 26), the inquiry – ‘Rehabilitation and resettlement: ending the cycle of reoffending’ – comes as latest Ministry of Justice data covering October to December 2022 showed the overall proven reoffending rate was 26.4 per cent, with adults released from custodial sentences of less than 12 months having a proven reoffending rate of 56.6 per cent.
For the year ending December 2023, 78 per cent of all offenders cautioned or convicted for an indictable offence in 2023 had at least one prior caution or conviction.
The HM Inspector of Prisons annual report for 2023/24 also raised concerns over the length of time inmates were spending in their cells, with 30 out of 32 inspections rated poor or insufficiently good for purposeful activity.
Justice Committee chair Mr Slaughter said: “Prisons and the Probation Service are facing significant and unsustainable pressures. The Justice Committee’s first inquiry will focus in detail on how to break the cycle of reoffending we are witnessing across our justice system.
“We will examine reoffending rates in England and Wales and assess the current rehabilitation regimes offered within different types of prisons, including training, education and purposeful activity.
“The inquiry will also measure the adequacy of support provided to ex-offenders on release including homelessness prevention, employment opportunities and health and wellbeing services, as well as the role of non-custodial sentences in promoting rehabilitation amid the Sentencing Review.”
He added: “With limited opportunities for ex-offenders to reintegrate back into society post release and a rise in the numbers leaving jails homeless, a wide-ranging assessment of the prison revolving door is long overdue.
“The committee will listen carefully to those across the sector and make evidence-based recommendations to ministers to shift the dial on this crucial issue.”