Prisoner rehabilitation a 'pipe dream', says UCU, as main prison education provider axes hundreds of jobs

A National Audit Office (NAO) report out today said that many prisoners were failing to get the rehabilitation they needed.
 
UCU said it was essential that prisoners were given greater access to education, which studies show is a key driver behind stopping repeat offending. However, Manchester College, the largest provider of prison education, is doing the complete opposite and axing 250 jobs. The college runs courses in 96 institutions, but the union says it is sacking staff to increase profit margins and showing a blatant disregard for prisoners' needs and what is best for our society.
 
The NAO report found that many prisoners were spending all day in their cells, rather than being engaged in training and rehabilitation. Four-fifths (80%) of prisoners have writing skills at the level of, or below, an 11-year-old child. Studies have shown that prisoners who do not take part in education or training are three times more likely to be reconvicted than those who do.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Today's NAO report highlights the vital service prison education could provide for prisoners and our society. However, rehabilitating prisoners will remain a pipe dream if we continue to put profits first.
 
'Studies show that the most important factor in reducing recidivism is prison education and it is deeply concerning that Britain's largest prison education provider is preparing to make such savage cuts to its offender learning provision. Manchester College might have a more profitable package after the job cuts, but there will be fewer rehabilitation opportunities for offenders and another 250 people on the dole queue.'