The importance of prison link services to help reduce the risk of reoffending
Reoffending among prison leavers remains a significant challenge in England and Wales. Recent statistics have highlighted the vital role stable accommodation and support play in reducing the likelihood of returning to crime.
The link between homelessness and reoffending
According to figures published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), 67% of adults who were homeless upon release committed a further offence within a year. In contrast, only a third of those who were released into settled accommodation reoffended.
At Emerging Futures, we know first-hand how critical it is for prison leavers to have somewhere safe to live to get their lives back on track.
“Having such a lovely place to call home has helped me focus on my recovery.” said one prison leaver who recently moved into our housing in Sefton, “Being around positive peers also really helps.”
Our prison leavers housing pilot, which housed 73 ex-offenders and completed in March 2023, saved over £700,000 in five months by reducing reoffending.
The growing issue of prison recalls
The recall population in prisons in England and Wales reached 12,920 at the end of last year, up from 9,000 in 2020 and fewer than 100 in 1993 (Source: Prison system crisis due to overreliance on long sentences, says Gauke review, The Guardian, February 2025).
New figures also reveal that between July and September 2024, for every 100 individuals released, 67 were recalled to prison. That’s a staggering 42% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Hayden Duncan, Operations Director at Emerging Futures, says:
“Now, more than ever, we need to ensure a continued focus on providing essential support to prison leavers. Without this help, many prison leavers struggle to attend critical appointments or secure housing, increasing their risk of reoffending.
“At Emerging Futures, we see more than just the numbers and statistics – we see the people. Each individual with their own story to share, and great potential to achieve positive change if they have the right support in place.”
One individual recently released from HMP Hewell expressed gratitude for the assistance received:
“If it wasn’t for you, I’d be lost. Emerging Futures collecting me today has changed my life.”
At the prison gates
Operating in several key areas, including Birmingham, Hertfordshire, and Cheshire, Emerging Futures offers tailored support to individuals before and after their release.
The services teams provide include:
- Weekly visits to prisons to establish relationships with inmates pre-release.
- Coordination with other agencies to arrange necessary appointments and support services.
- Collection at the gate on release day, ensuring no individual is left to fend for themselves.
- Transport to crucial appointments, such as probation meetings and housing assessments.
- Assistance with setting up Universal Credit claims.
- Up to eight weeks of post-release support to help navigate reintegration challenges.
We also continue to train people leaving the criminal justice system as coaches and develop pathways into employment for them. We see having lived experience of addiction or offending as something to turn around and be used to inspire others.
The positive feedback from those who have used this service further highlights how transformative it can be.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me today, I needed this support, otherwise I would have gone out and scored straight away.”
Breaking the cycle
The MoJ statistics reinforce the undeniable correlation between homelessness and reoffending. Without stable accommodation and access to support services, prison leavers are at high risk of falling back into criminal behaviour. Organisations like Emerging Futures play a vital role in bridging this gap, ensuring that individuals leaving custody have the necessary tools to adjust to a life beyond the gates.
