Too many ex-offenders on probation end up back in prison after being released simply because they don’t have a stable place to live.
In the House of Commons, Marie highlighted that those without a home reoffend at twice the rate of those with accommodation. She called on the Justice Secretary to take urgent steps to break this cycle and work closely with homelessness initiatives to support rehabilitation and reduce reoffending.
#Chelmsford #Essex #MinistryOfJustice
Mr Speaker, my constituency of Chelmsford is an important hub for the justice system in Essex. It’s home to several courts, including a Crown Court. The Independent Sentencing Review, led by David Gauke, found that the reoffending rate for those who were homeless or rough sleeping was double that of those who had accommodation to go to upon release. Indeed, I’ve heard examples from charities where those on probation have been recalled to prison simply because they have no fixed address. At a time when prison places are so limited, what steps is the Justice Secretary taking to ensure that such frustrating examples of recall stop, and how does he intend to work with the Inter-Ministerial Group for Homelessness and Rough Sleeping to ensure that the Probation Service’s work isn’t undermined by a lack of accommodation upon release from prison?