Switchback welcomes the Lord Chancellor’s acknowledgement that swift and significant action is needed for the probation service to achieve its aim of reducing reoffending. We agree that everyone leaving prison should have a genuine opportunity to thrive as contributing members of society, and that the point of release offers a unique moment of impact to significantly reduce crime, create fewer victims and build safer, more inclusive communities. Whilst we welcome the changes the Lord Chancellor proposes, we believe that even greater action is needed to achieve her vision.
The transition from prison back into the community is so often when the system fails. Over and over again, we meet people who want to make a new start after prison but are held back by homelessness and hardship. Daily, our work shows us that when people are supported, they are much more likely to be able to build a stable life they can be proud of, including making a positive contribution to society. Switchback’s evidence and wider research, are both clear that supportive relationships are key to enabling prison leavers to build stable lives away from crime. Highly trained, well-resourced and supported probation officers are a vital part of achieving this vision. We wholeheartedly agree with the Lord Chancellor’s ambition to transform the culture of probation, with a much greater emphasis on human relationships and rehabilitative support. Our own experience is that effective resettlement is not only about managing risk, but also about supporting people to realise their potential as a member of society. Reducing caseloads and streamlining admin are both welcome if they give probation officers the time to provide the holistic support people need on release.
But probation officers cannot do this work alone, so we also welcome the Lord Chancellor’s recognition of the role of third sector resettlement support providers like Switchback. For many people leaving prison, long-term holistic support from someone like a Switchback Mentor, is their first real relationship of trust. Working in partnership with probation officers, the third sector is the key to ensuring that all people leaving prison get the right support at the right time so that they can build a stable life away from crime. Along with our third sector colleagues, we stand ready to work in close partnership with the Government and the Probation Service to bring about this much-needed transformation and help ensure that every person leaving prison gets the support that they need to live life differently.
Sian Williams
Switchback CEO
