HOME AFFAIRS: Reoffending cut by wider use of community sentences

In a report published next week, the Penal Affairs Consortium urges the new Government to place greater emphasis on the reduction of reoffending, arguing that certain types of community supervision have reduced the rate of reoffending by between 15 and 30 per cent.

These programmes are said to include those which teach offenders to restrain aggressive and impulsive behaviour, tackle alcohol or drug problems, or provide skills training and employment.

The consortium argues that: "A rational strategy for reducing reoffending would involve developing plans to extend the most effective forms of community supervision to many more offenders." It proposes a "national curriculum" of the most effective supervision programmes, to be made available to courts all over the country.