4th July 2012
A recent report from Revolving Doors (UK) has outlined evidence-based strategies that reduce re-offending and reinforced the need for further use of alternatives to short custodial sentences. Integrated Offender Management involves a multi-agency approach, within prisons and the community, that focuses on offenders rather than offences.
Short-sentence prisoners (serving less than 12 months) often experience high levels of homelessness, substance misuse, poverty, debt and mental illness. These issues lead to a cycles of crisis and crime, and short prison sentences leave little time for meaningful engagement with prison-based support services. Short-term prison sentences are also more expensive and lead to more re-offending than community-based sanctions.
Integrated Offender Management (IOM) was piloted in six sites across England in 2009 and involves joined-up approaches and sometimes co-location of services from prisons, police, probation, local housing authorities, and health services. For example, Manchester’s IOM scheme, Spotlight, recorded an 86% drop in re-offending among Prolific and other Priority Offenders who were provided with free accommodation upon release from short prison sentences – reporting an 11-fold return on the investment cost.
Full report available here: Integrated Offender Management
Irish context:
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Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.