There’s been a long-standing call for prison reform and improved rehabilitation, which has only become louder in recent years. But make no mistake; whatever any attempt at reform may look like, it’s not an overnight fix.
With a Prime Minister well versed in criminal law, Labour wasted no time in tackling the problem. Shortly after entering parliament, they introduced their ‘early release’ scheme to combat prison overcrowding.
Such a scheme was bound to be controversial, and since its first rollout in early September, it’s already received a number of criticisms.
What is the early release scheme?
Put simply, prisoners on “standard determinate sentences” (prison sentences with a fixed term) will be given automatic release after they’ve served 40% of their sentence.
The Ministry of Justice predicts that around 5,500 prisoners will be released between September and October. The hope is that this will reduce the number of inmates serving prison sentences for more minor charges and combat the major overcrowding issues.
In theory, this should be straight forward. However, it’s clear that there are a number of challenges still to overcome before we see long-term positive change.
Lack of support in the real world
Readjusting to life outside the four walls of prison has long been an obstacle to true rehabilitation for many former prisoners.
Critics of the early release scheme question whether people released less than halfway through their sentence will be properly equipped with the necessary coping mechanisms and support, including probation, training, and education services. This is especially true if prisoners haven’t had the chance for rehabilitation schemes whilst in prison.
A recent investigation into the UK’s probation services found that most services are failing to meet the minimum standards. The early release scheme means that the number of people needing the services is set to suddenly increase, raising the question whether there’s capacity to receive them.
Unfortunately for many former prisoners, the cycle of ‘cell, street, repeat’ is an all too familiar reality. This may be largely due to the lack of support services and stability on their release. If we don’t see improvements to the quality of rehabilitation programmes both within and away from prison life, we may find that the early release programme only really serves as a short-term fix - with the potential for high reoffending rates.
This then raises questions about which offences should result in incarceration in the first place. There are many discussions, for example, around drug-related charges needing rehabilitation facilities over prisons.
Lack of affordable accommodation
In 2023, nearly eight and a half thousand (12%) of prison leavers went from custody straight into rough sleeping. Over 3,000 of them were still experiencing homelessness three months after their release date.
Those who do manage to find accommodation will often have to cope with the overcrowding and poor conditions of temporary accommodation, which can mean a worse quality of life than when they were incarcerated. The complete lack of social housing means that the only other option is to try to navigate an extremely competitive private rental market, which presents a whole host of other challenges.
After experiencing stable accommodation, meals and company during a sentence, it’s easy to see how many struggle to cope with the change after leaving prison. This, unfortunately, leads large numbers to re-offend, believing that life in an institution is better than their options outside.
Who can help with housing for prison leavers?
The prison and probation services will be largely responsible for alerting local authorities about any housing requirements. These ‘homeless applications’ should be completed 8 weeks before release (which has caused several issues with some prisoners being released earlier than anticipated with the early release scheme).
For those needing accommodation while on bail or an electronic tag, courts or prison staff may refer you to the Bail Accommodation Support Scheme (BASS).
If you’re currently experiencing homelessness or worried about homelessness following prison release, there are support services that can help you as you begin this next chapter:
To speak of issues around prison reform is to speak of issues of homelessness.
It’s unclear what the long-term impact of the early release scheme will be. While we may see short-term benefits to the numbers in the prisons, if we don’t see improvements to the services outside the prisons, we may find progress comes to a quick halt.
For homelessness support in West Yorkshire, please contact Simon on the Streets now.