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See other news storiesFive-year strategy to stop re-offending
9 February 2006
The Government today announced a five-year plan to reduce re-offending and protect the public.
The new plan includes a massive increase in the total amount of visible, unpaid work carried out by offenders in the community as part of tough community sentencing.
Work to double
In 2005, offenders carried out 5 million hours of work in their communities under the Community Payback initiative.
Under the new strategy that will double to 10 million hours.
The Government believes that visible reparation is a key element in reducing the problem of re-offending.
Combined strategy
The strategy combines public work with a number of other changes:
- full use of rehabilitation processes, including support for health problems and educational advancement
- help to 'go straight' for every individual
- community prisons, so that inmates can maintain family ties, and smoothly integrate into the community after their release
Meeting the challenge
Home Secretary Charles Clarke said, 'A shocking truth is that more than half of all crime in this country is committed by people who have been through the criminal justice system before.'
He added, 'The idea that "prison works" in stopping re-offending is demonstrably wrong. We have to stop people re-offending, and this strategy will meet that challenge.'
