Reducing Reoffending
Jen Byrne, Strategic Director for Justice at A4e, talks about our response to the Government’s Breaking the Cycle white paper.
Since 1991, A4e has delivered services to offenders – helping them to find work through our mainstream back-to-work contracts, as well as more specialist contracts such as Progress to Work which provides intensive support for offenders, substance misuse and the homeless. We have also worked with the Probation Service to help deliver the education and training programmes within prisons.
In 2002, a report by the Government’s Social Exclusion Unit estimated that the costs of re-offending were £11billion each year. It found that the triggers for offending and reoffending were not being addressed. In particular ‘having a job’ was positively linked with a reduction in reoffending.
In 2004, the national prison education service was introduced in England with the objective of increasing employability and reducing re-offending. A4e became the largest independent provider of the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS).
A4e works in 28 prisons, helping to provide a seamless transition from learning and skills in prison to dedicated employment search and support in the community. With links to thousands of employers, we have successfully placed offenders back into sustained employment. We also provide support and advice to employers on employing ex-offenders.
What we’re doing right now
Careers Information and Advice Service (North East)
Impartial advice and guidance for prisoners in all eight prisons in the North East of England.
CIAS team members introduce the service during prison induction and then offer a personalised service, working with each offender to identify their goals – these may be about careers, specific jobs or personal development. Advisers support resettlement plans, taking part in pre-release case conferences and signposting to support services in the community. Each month A4e works with over 1,000 prisoners, helping them to plan for a positive future on release.
Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS)
A4e has delivered OLASS since 2005 and now works in 20 prisons in South West England, Norfolk and Suffolk. We have over 400 staff delivering courses that range from basic literacy to welding. Since taking over prison education services, A4e has contributed to a significant rise in the vocational relevance of provision AND in the quality of delivery – all of A4e’s prison based provision is rated satisfactory or above by Ofsted, and we have helped raise the inspection grade in 13 prisons.
Improving the Employability of Offenders
A4e is the prime provider for a NOMS/ESF co-financed project in South West England, branded Way4Ward. This two year contract will support 3,285 offenders across the South West.
First Steps to Employability
An LSC/ESF-funded programme operating in the North East, providing employment and skills support to offenders serving a community sentence. Delivered in partnership with Northumbria and County Durham & Teesside Probation Trusts, offenders on Unpaid Work gain accredited skills whilst completing their order, and are supported into further learning, jobsearch and employment.
Making an impact
Since 2005, A4e has delivered over 1.2 million hours of learning and vocational training to over 100,000 offenders.
A4e’s Response to the Ministry of Justice’s Breaking the Cycle Green Paper
A4e Gives Evidence to Parliament
A4e’s Director of Justice, Jen Byrne, recently gave evidence to the Justice Select Committee in Parliament – you can watch the session below courtesy of www.parliamentlive.tv.
The Committee, a cross-party group of MPs examining the work of the Ministry of Justice, are holding an inquiry into the role of the probation service. Jen shared our expertise on how payment by results models would apply to criminal justice and helped the Committee to learn from our extensive experience of similar models in welfare reform. We believe that, to deliver better services for offenders, for the criminal justice system and for communities, payment by results will create a more effective, innovative and efficient service. However, this approach will need to be introduced over time in stages, so we can to collaboratively build up the evidence we need to make it work.
