Prisoners from Norfolk jails will no longer be released on Fridays when their sentence ends, under new plans to cut reoffending and make streets safer.
The release of selected offenders vulnerable to addiction, mental health issues or homelessness from HMP Wayland and HMP Norwich will be brought forward to Wednesday or Thursday to stop them lapsing back towards a life of crime.
Figures show that around one in three currently leave prison on a Friday – giving them just a few short hours to arrange a bed for the night, register with a GP and sign-up for job support before services close for the weekend.
Chief executive of social justice charity Nacro, Campbell Robb, who has campaigned to end Friday releases, said they have been “setting people up to fail”.
Nacro figures show that almost 1,000 people released from prison are homeless or rough sleeping every month, and around half of people who are released from prison reoffend within a year.
Prisons minister Victoria Atkins said: “Making sure ex-offenders can get suitable housing and support ahead of the weekend means they are far more likely to stay on the straight and narrow.”
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