Nacro has long argued that resettlement arrangements to support offenders should not begin or end at the prison gate but start in prison and continue in the community. At the same time, initiatives to help offenders resettle should to be directed towards meeting the needs of the individual. All too often this does not happen and much resettlement work is piecemeal and inadequately co-ordinated.

Nacro thinks that all prisoners should have an individual resettlement strategy addressing the issues they need to get sorted out to help them lead a crime-free life, including housing, education, employment and welfare support. Dedicated resettlement teams should also be established in every prison and local community area, to ensure ex offenders are offered a full and integrated range of services.

Rehabilitation will only work if it is approached in an integrated manner which addresses the full range of problems faced by offenders. If we are to reduce crime, proper sustainable funding for integrated resettlement projects is crucial. This is about investing in ex-prisoners’ chances of going straight and a safer society for all of us.