This blog was first published on 10 September 2024 and updated on 22 October 2024.
Update:
Today (Tuesday 22 October) sees the second tranche of people being released from prison early as part of the early release scheme.
Since the first release on 10 September, the justice secretary Shabana Mahmood has acknowledged the ongoing challenges the probation service is facing due to understaffing and increased demand. To support the service, she has announced plans to recruit an additional 1,000 probation officers by March 2025.
Probation staff across the country have huge caseloads, sometimes up to as many as 100 people per probation officer, which makes it extremely challenging to provide adequate personalised rehabilitative support. We welcome the proposed changes, but of course these extra probation officers will not be in post in time to support those who are leaving prison through SDS40. As a result, these people may struggle to access the support they need on release. Criminal justice organisations such as Working Chance and many others are working hard to step up their support to ensure that people leaving prison early have access to housing, employability, healthcare and other services to ease their transition back into the community and help prevent reoffending and recall to prison.
Original blog:
The new government has inherited a prison system at breaking point, and in an attempt to ease overcrowding, the SDS40 early release scheme allows prisoners to be released after serving 40% of their sentence, instead of the usual 50%. While in theory SDS40 allows prison leavers to reintegrate back into society sooner, it has sparked debate and concern.
Working Chance firmly believes that most women in prison should never have been sent there, so we welcome a scheme which releases women back into the community to be reunited with families. But we are concerned. People leaving prison must receive support in the community – for example, housing, employability, and healthcare - or we risk setting them up to fail.
Martin Jones, the chief inspector of probation, spoke this morning of the “certainty” that some will reoffend, given the “significantly overstretched” probation system that is unable to adequately support them. The coming days and weeks will be pivotal in ensuring that people leaving prison can rebuild their lives.
What is Working Chance doing?
Working Chance has been working with each of the Prison Employment Leads across all 12 women’s prisons, to ensure that every woman leaving prison today receives information about Working Chance. That means that when women are ready to look for work, they will know that we are there to support them.
However, employment is just one piece of the puzzle when you’re leaving prison. Probation, housing services, and in some cases help with mental health services and addiction are all vital in supporting a woman to rebuild her life after prison.
Harri“Leaving prison is overwhelming: your brain is like scrambled egg and there’s no preparation. Without that support worker being at the gate to support me, I would’ve ended up back on the streets.”
Woman with lived experience
We asked a group of women who’ve lived through the prison system what they thought of SDS40 and here's what they told us. (Names have been changed to protect their anonymity.)
Tanesha“Early release is going to have a domino effect on key services like housing and healthcare."
Woman with lived experience
1. Concerns about being released into homelessness
On average, around 800 people leave prison into homelessness every month. Stable accommodation is crucial for attaining and keeping a job, while homelessness makes finding work nearly impossible and raises the risk of reoffending just to survive. We are concerned about the rate of recall if suitable accommodation is not found.
Tanesha“There was no support for people to get housing, people are being released into homelessness.”
Woman with lived experience
2. Not feeling ready to leave
Rhoda“I actually didn’t want to leave. Prison allowed me to grow. I’d created a new being.”
Woman with lived experience
Many people set for early release may currently be receiving mental health or addiction support while inside, taking courses in English or maths, or working on self-improvement. Releasing people early risks interrupting their rehabilitation before they complete this progress.
Tanesha“When you’re in prison you work to build yourself up but once you're released, you’re on your own and you need to start that process to build yourself back up again.”
Woman with lived experience
3. Gaps in effective support
Many people leaving prison face multiple challenges like finding housing, overcoming addiction, ongoing court cases, and mental health issues. Tailored, individual support is crucial to help people restart their lives in the community. While there are through-the-gate services, a surge in prison leavers could overwhelm them, leaving some without help.
Probation services already struggle with massive caseloads and a lack of staff, so the early release scheme is likely to put more pressure on probation officers who are already at full capacity.
Harri“Being released is so overwhelming, especially in rural areas where you’ve got no support.”
Woman with lived experience
Rhoda“As much as I’m happy that these women are getting out, I’m worried about them. It depends on each woman but for most, it’s crucial to catch them on release when they’re still motivated to change their life."
Woman with lived experience
Words of wisdom from women who've lived it
Finally, we asked women who’ve been to prison if they had any words of wisdom for those being released today.
Tanesha“It’s easier said than done - as women we’re not taught to be confident, but stay strong. Focus on yourself and work on rebuilding your confidence.”
Woman with lived experience
Ava“It might not be easy, but you can use each rejection as a stepping stone to where you’re supposed to be. There are organisations who can help you."
Woman with lived experience
