One in six London prison leavers face homelessness

One in six individuals departing prison in London are released into homelessness, according to analysis by the social justice group Nacro. This situation is occurring as the Probation Service grapples with what is being described as a "chronic workload crisis".

Kelly Grehan, policy manager at the justice reform charity Revolving Doors, stated that this is part of a broader pattern of inadequate support for those leaving custody. She noted that services are often not equipped to handle the complex needs of these individuals. For people exiting prison, it is common to be placed in unsuitable accommodation, which can worsen existing problems. Grehan added that many report being moved into hostels where drug use is prevalent, even after they have achieved sobriety.

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Challenges for Probation Staff

Tania Bassett, a national official at Napo, the trade union for probation staff, has worked in the Probation Service for 20 years. She described the service as suffering from a "chronic workload crisis". An early-release scheme, designed to alleviate prison capacity issues, is expected to increase the Probation Service's workload by an estimated 5,000 individuals. Bassett warned that this will intensify the current crisis and lead to reduced support for prisoners. Some Napo members have indicated they are instructed to limit client interactions to 30 minutes per week due to high caseloads, turning support into a mere formality and preventing trust-building.

The Ministry of Justice reported that half of the prison population in England and Wales has an identified drug problem. The government has committed £700 million to probation and community services to address prison leaver homelessness and aims to halve this issue by 2029.

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Impact on Reintegration

The complexities faced by prison leavers are illustrated by cases such as Anne-Marie, who struggled with crack cocaine addiction. After being released into a hostel described as a "legal crack-house", she relapsed and was returned to prison multiple times. Now over four years clean, she advocates for continuous support for individuals transitioning from custody. Another individual, Steve, who has autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression, experienced new mental health issues after his release due to prison trauma. His mother, Lorna, found that pre-existing mental health support had been withdrawn, and probation services were unable to provide the intensive assistance he needed. Within five months of his release, Steve reoffended and was recalled to prison, stating he did not know what to do.

The criminal justice system spends an estimated £242 million annually on a group of up to 50,000 "prolific offenders" who are frequently involved in low-level crimes like shoplifting and drug possession. Many in this group experience poor mental health, addiction, and poverty or homelessness.

Government Response

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson stated that the government inherited a prison system "on the brink of collapse" and a homelessness crisis. They added that the government aims to halve prison leaver homelessness by 2029, has invested £700 million in probation and community services, and has initiated a national effort to end rough sleeping.