Closing prisons not the way to rehabilitate offenders

The union said moving more prisons to the private sector, with more retendering for education contracts, meant there was little continuity for offenders. The union pointed to studies that show that prisoners who do not take part in education are three times more likely to be reconvicted than those that do. 

A National Audit Office (NAO) report said that many prisoners were failing to get the rehabilitation they needed. The report found that many prisoners were spending all day in their cells, rather than being engaged in education and rehabilitation.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The prison system, and offenders in particular, need some continuity. Prison education is the key factor in cutting reoffending, but the constant chopping and changing of education contracts and government tinkering with the system means many don't get to see their courses through properly.'