Prisoners' children can prevent crime

JOHN BATTLE MP
186 words
11 October 2006
The Independent (c) 2006 Independent & Media PLC

Sir:

Armley prison in my constituency has struggled to cope with overcrowding (Steve Richards, 10 October) for two decades. Every day 50 new prisoners are locked up and 50 are released. The key issue is how to stop them being the same people.

Research shows that if a prisoner receives six or more visits from his child or children his re-offending rate drops off spectacularly. Over 50 per cent of prisoners have young children. Joining up access to their children with learning to read to them (including putting children's stories on tape, CD or iPods) can have a real impact on reoffending.

Home Office support and encouragement of such modest and inexpensive projects would make a real difference Armley is already trying it, supported by the voluntary Jigsaw project for prisoner families. It is one pilot scheme that should ignite the whole system before it is snuffed out in a crude debate summarised as popularism versus liberalism. Prisoners can be changed by their children.

JOHN BATTLE MP (LEEDS WEST, LABOUR)

HOUSE OF COMMONS

© John Battle MP 11th October 2006

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