Probation staff have warned that there is a lack of hostel places for 2,000 prison leavers due to be released over the next month.
Those leaving prison are supposed to be found appropriate accommodation before their release, thereby reducing their risk of re-offending, however a shortage of appropriate accommodation means that many risk becoming homeless. With a second tranche of prisoners due for release on the 13th October, the problem is likely to reach critical levels.
Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the social justice charity Nacro, commented:
“We know that leaving prison homeless can put people on a path back into custody. It is vital that the whole system from prisons and probation to councils and community providers work together to give people a roof over their heads.”
Ben Cockburn, the Probation Officer’ Union’s national chair, said HM Prison Service seemed to be in “absolute denial” about the state of the Probation Service.
“We have massive staff shortages, unsustainable and dangerously high workloads and electronic monitoring is failing to deliver,” he said.
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