Nacro response to today’s Queen’s Speech

In response to the Queen’s Speech today, Nacro CEO Campbell Robb commented:
“We all share the aim of reducing crime and reducing the number of victims of crime. However, the sentencing proposals in today’s Queen’s Speech do nothing to tackle this.

“Over three quarters of all crimes that result in a caution or sentence are repeat offences, often committed by people who’ve already been in prison. People who are given a prison sentence of less than 12 months are more likely to reoffend than someone given a community alternative. The Queen’s speech makes no commitment to reducing short prison sentences nor does it propose any steps to reduce reoffending.

“The people we support on release from prison so often face an impossible struggle to make a fresh start. They are held back by homelessness, a lack of health support, few job opportunities or insufficient money to get food and the basics to survive. Increasing the number of people in our prisons, who are likely to be released without essential basics in place, is a sure-fire way to keep reoffending rates high.”