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Urgent need for supported housing for ex-prisoners
Paul Cavadino, Chief Executive of Nacro, the crime reduction charity, commented as follows on figures released today (6 March) by Grant Shapps MP showing that over 12,000 prisoners were released without a permanent address in 2005-06:
“Releasing prisoners without accommodation increases risk to the community. Prisoners who are released homeless are more likely to commit offences out of desperation just to survive. It is also much harder for homeless ex-prisoners to get and keep a job and to sustain commitment in drug rehabilitation programmes. The result is more offending and more victims.
“The Prison Service has made progress in tackling the problem of homelessness. It has set itself targets to increase the number of prisoners going to stable accommodation on release. Nacro has been commissioned to provide resettlement help in 40 prisons. Most prisons now have some form of housing advice service. However, many of these services are stretched. Some can only provide help to certain categories of prisoner, such as those returning to the local area. Some concentrate on working to keep prisoners’ existing accommodation open for them but do not have the resources to secure housing for homeless offenders.
“Every prison should have a well resourced housing advice service working to find accommodation for all released prisoners who need it. There is also an urgent need for more supported housing projects for released prisoners, particularly in areas where housing shortages are most acute.”
Contact: Sally Burnell on 020 7840 7216 or 07974 189979
housing, Grant Shapps, prison, homeless, advice, Paul Cavadino
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