Home Secretary announces 5 year strategy to protect the public and reduce re-offending
09 Feb 2006
As part of the Government's five year strategy for 'Protecting the Public and Reducing Re-offending', the total number of hours of unpaid work carried out as part of tough community sentences will double to almost 10 million hours. Last year offenders carried out five million hours of work in communities as part of the Community Payback initiative, where local people vote on what work offenders should be doing in their area.
Visible reparation and reducing re-offending to cut crime and protect the public are at the heart of the strategy. It addresses those whose offending behaviour can best be addressed in the community. At the other end of the scale, recent changes in the law allow for public protection sentences by which the most dangerous offenders may never be released.
Mr Clarke said:
"I believe that most people want two main things from us. They want to see justice done – with people who commit crimes caught and punished. They want to be protected from dangerous people – so that they can walk the streets safely, without fear.
"A shocking truth is that more than half of all crime in this country is committed by people who have been through the criminal justice system before. The idea that "prison works" in stopping re-offending is demonstrably wrong. We have to stop people re-offending and this strategy is designed to meet this challenge."
The strategy also includes other components for success in reducing re-offending:
- Full use of the range of rehabilitations, including health, education and other support.
- Genuine aspiration to "going straight" for every individual, based on strong future prospects of employment, housing and social and family relationships.
- Community prisons to maintain family ties and facilitate the process of reintegration for those leaving custody.
Taken together, this strategy will ensure we can protect the public and help offenders become productive, valued members of our communities.