Reoffending fears for released prisoners' families

Prisoners let out of jail as part of the government's early release scheme were likely to go on to reoffend, a father of one of them has said.

Andrew, 70, from Cleckheaton, said his son had been sleeping rough following his release from Leeds Prison on Tuesday and he was already "mixing with the wrong people".

"I can only imagine that it'll start him on this cycle of criminality again to get the money he needs for drugs," he said.

The Napo probation union said some of those being released early had not had rehabilitation opportunities in prisons due to the probation service being overstretched.

Andrew's son, who the BBC is not naming to protect his identity, served six weeks of a nine-month sentence before being released under the Ministry of Justice's emergency plan.

"When he was released, the theory was he'd have an appointment for benefits. That wasn't organised at the prison," Andrew said.

"His property wasn't at the prison, it was found later to be at Lincoln prison. So he was without a bank card, without a door key, so he got back to Huddersfield unable to get into his property."

Andrew said that despite his son being offered a room at his house, he took the decision to sleep rough, leaving him "at risk".

He said he feared that would "start him on this cycle of criminality again to get the money he needs for drugs".

Ian Lawrence, general secretary of the Napo probation union, said in many cases support services were not available for those leaving prison early, with the probation service being "full".

"We've got a massive, massive case load and we'll do our best to try and re-integrate people into society," he said.

"But, if typically a probation practitioner is only getting five minutes face-to-face with somebody, as opposed to what could be up to half an hour to assess their needs and work through their problems, then it's quite likely people may go on to re-offend. It's a very sad situation."

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the emergency release plan launched this week was introduced because the justice system was "in crisis".

Prisons were "on the brink of collapse", a situation inherited from the previous Conservative government, a spokesperson added.

"If we had not acted, there was a real risk to public safety with courts forced to stop locking up dangerous criminals and police unable to make arrests."

The prison and probation service did offer basic housing for offenders who would otherwise be forced to sleep on the streets, the MoJ spokesperson said.

“It is important for offenders to have a roof over their head when they leave prison, otherwise there is a high risk they will reoffend and end up back behind bars."

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