Finding better ways to reduce crime – we carry out consultancy and training and develop policy, to promote and assess effective approaches to crime reduction 

Q: What does 'Nacro' stand for?
A: The organisation was originally established in 1966 as the ‘National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders’, or ‘NACRO’. The aim of the charity was to set up practical services to help ex-offenders resettle, work with individuals at risk of getting involved in crime and with communities to help prevent crime. In 1999 we re-branded and changed our name to ‘Nacro’ usually described as ‘Nacro, the crime reduction charity’, to better reflect the whole work of the charity – around 50% of our activity concerns the resettlement of offenders, 45% concerns crime prevention and 5% concerns criminal justice reform. The resettlement of prisoners and ex-offenders is still central to our work and vision of how to make society safer but we also offer services across the spectrum of crime reduction – from youth activity and parenting projects to helping develop and deliver initiatives to tackle crime.  

Q: What’s the history behind Nacro?
A: The first discharged prisoners’ aid societies were set up towards the end of the 18^th century, each centred on a city or a county gaol from which it took its name. Mainly funded by voluntary contributions, they provided discharged prisoners with small cash grants for clothing and helped them to return home and, where possible, to find work. 

In 1862 a central committee was set up to promote prisoners’ aid societies throughout the country. This was established as the Central Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Society in 1918 and was reconstituted in 1936 as the National Association of Discharged Prisoners’ Aid Societies or NADPAS.

In 1953 NADPAS became responsible for appointing qualified welfare officers to work inside local prisons. The local societies’ welfare officers shifted their attention to work outside prisons, and discharged prisoners’ basic financial needs were met by the state.

In the mid 1960s, the after-care of offenders was completely reorganised when the then Home Secretary accepted the recommendations of the report of his Advisory Committee on the Treatment of Offenders (the ACTO report, 1963). The Probation Service became the Probation and After-Care Service and took on the prison welfare and day-to-day aftercare responsibilities previously undertaken by the prisoners’ aid societies. The societies were left to deal with ‘specialised problems’ facing discharged prisoners and coordinating the voluntary effort to support the new statutory service.

In January 1965, NADPAS set up a working party to consider what its future role and organisation should be. It consulted other voluntary organisations and individuals via a ‘progress report’, which set out its proposals and invited their comment.  The working party’s proposals met with broad agreement – but not its suggestion for a name, ‘St Leonard’s Foundation’ (after the patron saint of prisoners). At the final meeting of the working party in June 1965, after considerable debate ‘a small majority … favoured “National Association of the Care and Resettlement of Offenders” to be followed by the subtitle, “an organisation for the prevention of crime” … it would abbreviate as NACRO’.

Nacro was formally constituted and NADPAS dissolved on 11 March 1966.

Nacro’s inaugural AGM was held on 6 September 1966 at University College, London, where the then Chairman, Lord Donaldson, said:

‘The new organisation, which would co-ordinate the work of voluntary societies, meant to be a “constant nuisance, a gadfly, a stimulus, a pain in the neck, a focal point for all who are interested in these problems.’

The Guardian, 7 September 1966                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Q: How many staff members and volunteers does Nacro have?
A: Nacro has 1,426 staff members and just under 1000 volunteers. Please click here to find out more about volunteering for Nacro.

Q: Where does Nacro operate and how big is it compared to other charities?
A: Nacro, registered charity no: 226171, operates across England and Wales and has grown into one of the largest charities in the UK, with an annual turnover of £59 million.  

Q: Do you have media spokespeople with particular areas of expertise?
A: Yes, we have spokespeople with expertise in criminal justice, crime reduction, youth crime, education and employment, prisons, mental health, social housing, resettlement and rehabilitation of offenders.

Nacro provides a prominent and constructive voice in the national and media debate on crime and disorder.

Q: How many people does Nacro work with a year and what kind of projects does Nacro run?
A: In the last year Nacro has worked with 54,000 people – we’ve trained 10,000 learners, housed 3,000 tenants, advised 20,000 helpline enquirers, helped 10,000 prisoners and worked with 11,000 young people. Please click here for more information on Nacro services.

Nacro runs over 200 projects in the following areas: