Manchester Prison has initiated a new project to help rehabilitate short-term offenders so they can lead crime-free lives outside of prison.

Prisons all around Britain are watching the outcome of a unique scheme to help prisoners’ serving shorter sentences get their lives on the straight and narrow once released from prison.

Traditionally prisoners who serve shorter sentences – usually less than a year – have a high record of re-offending and being sent back to prison. One theory behind their reversion back to criminality is that these “pettier” crime offenders do not receive adequate support and advice on life and how to behave rationally and lawfully outside of prison.

Manchester Prison, which was more famously known as ‘Strangeways’, has never been a stranger to innovative strategies. The support and aftercare system provided by Manchester Prison will be the first project of its kind. The results and success rates will be observed by other prisons whose own aim is also to reduce the number of re-offenders.

Unlike longer term prisoners who receive effective methods of support like the Probation Service, short term offenders currently receive no help or counselling. Research has shown that prisoners receiving shorter sentences for crimes like theft and burglary are usually the ones who serve further sentences, as they cannot live a life without reverting back to crime when released.

Scotland has a high level of re-offending statistics and Scotland’s second largest trade union UNISON, which represents social workers, believes this is because there are no mandatory programs for short term prisoners. The drive towards reducing re-offending rates in Scotland has been talked about, but unlike Manchester Prison, not much has been done about it so far. UNISON stated:

“A coordinated and consistent system of aftercare for all short-term prisoners should be a priority for prisons in their attempt to reduce re-offending rates in Scotland”.

The Manchester based project has been initiated by Salford Unemployed and Community Resource Centre. The scheme is entirely voluntary and is open to prisoners who have served time at Manchester Prison at least twice before and whose current sentence is less than a year.  The volunteers will receive intensive support and offered advice on social issues like housing benefits and drugs counselling.

Mr Alec McFadden, the man in charge of the project, and his team met the governor of Manchester Prison about two years ago with their proposed idea. The project was approved by the governor and is now a national pilot. According to Mr McFadden, inmates who are serving 12 months or less are “completely neglected” by the prison service. He commented on the goals of the project,

“Not only will we prepare them for life after prison, but we will also continue to help ex-offenders and their families to ensure every opportunity is given to them so as to have a normal life”.

Steve North is a mental health support worker who is helping to run the project. Mr North’s role is to help the ex-prisoners access the services provided. He said,

“Its all about acting as a sort of mentor and trying to keep them positive when things get tough, but it can be as basic as having a cup of coffee and a chat with them when they need it.”

Social, behavioural, and lifestyle issues all inevitably contribute to the criminal behaviour of offenders serving less “serious” sentences in prison. Getting to the root of these problems by teaching offenders social skills and by offering them guidance will improve their chances of successful integration back into the community. A greater level of time and investment needs to be implemented in all prisons to assist criminals in leading lawful lives.  If Manchester Prison’s scheme proves to successfully reduce the number of prisoners re-offending on the outside, there is no doubt that prisons all around the country will be following in their footsteps.

Gabrielle Pickard for RT