Napo Press Release: Joint Inspection Report Reveals Enormous Through the Gate Failings

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 Press Statement  

21 June 2017 - Immediate Release

Joint Inspection Report Reveals Enormous Through the Gate Failings

A joint inspection report published today by Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Prisons and Probation on Through the Gate services for prisoners has revealed enormous failings.

The report, An Inspection of Through the Gate Resettlement Services for Prisoners Serving 12 Months or More, echoes the serious concerns Napo has voiced since Community Rehabilitation Companies were tasked with running the scheme designed to help prisoners transition from prison to communities.

Since 2015, Napo has questioned the ability of CRCs to deliver a quality service with minimum resources. Napo members have revealed that prisoners are only seen for 10 minutes at a time and that little or nothing is done to assist with their resettlement.

This report supports Napo’s fears by stating CRCs are focusing too much on contractual targets such as providing written resettlement plans and not enough attention on the needs of prisoners. In short the Through the Gate scheme has no real prospect of having any real impact on reoffending and if they removed it tomorrow it would make no difference.

Ian Lawrence, General Secretary said: "This is the second damning report in one week on the failed social experiment of privatising probation.

“The service is in crisis, staff morale is at an all-time low, workloads are dangerously high and the government is doing nothing to sort this chaos out.

“We are failing service users, staff and the public by continuing with this dangerous model and urgent action is needed to try to repair some of the damage that has been done. Napo will continue to pressurise all political parties to take this situation seriously before it is too late."

Only one positive HMIP report has been published since 2015. The past six months have seen as series of indicting reports on the probation service.  Combined with a prison crisis, it is a very volatile environment at the moment with staff leaving in their droves. Napo believes that if action isn't taken soon the service will be decimated beyond repair.

Ends.

 

For further information and possible media opportunities please contact Napo General Secretary Ian Lawrence on 07788 118005 or Tania Bassett (lead for media and parliamentary issues) on 0790 4184195.