Family visits for prisoners could save the taxpayer £2 billion, says new study 

Almost £2 billion could be saved for the public purse by allowing prisoners to see more of their families in custody, a leading think tank has found.

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), which interviewed dozens of families involved with the custodial system for its report The Golden Thread, found that meaningful family contact is an untapped weapon to reduce offending rates by rehabilitating prisoners, and improving the life chances of their families and children.

Maintaining family ties can also help reduce reoffending. Ministry of Justice research shows that prisoners who receive visits from a partner or family member are 39 per cent less likely to reoffend on release.

If reoffending fell by as little as 10 per cent, this could save the taxpayer £1.8 billion – a significant saving in light of the Government’s need to rein in public spending following the Covid pandemic.

The CSJ found that the experience of interacting with the criminal justice system can often be unnecessarily traumatic for innocent children and family members, leading to damaging ramifications for their future. For example, only nine per cent of the estimated 17,000 children separated from their mother by imprisonment remain with their father; the rest will have to move out of the family home.

Estimates from Crest Advisory have found that a staggering 312,000 children are separated from their parents every year. The CSJ’s report finds it “scandalous” that there is no official system for identifying children affected by parental imprisonment, and no national recorded data on the number of individuals with dependent children who go through the courts.

This is despite the fact that each of these children will be at increased risk of suffering psychological, economic and social harms as a result of their parent’s imprisonment.

Likewise, the CSJ found many relatives often feel that they are treated as if they are criminals themselves, leading to significant psychological scars.

The report says: “Arrest signals the start of a period of significant emotional upheaval for families. Innocent bystanders who witness the arrest of a family member at home are often left traumatised, sometimes severely so.

“Through the court process, many families of defendants sit alone, alienated by the legalese and traditions of the court, distraught at the prospect of being separated from their relative at the point of sentence.

“In prison, families often have to battle a bureaucratic system which treats them with suspicion at best and contempt at worst. While at the point of release, families struggle to shoulder the burden of supporting those who face the uphill challenge of reintegrating back into society.”

Yet, the CSJ’s research found that families will almost always be there, expending huge amounts of time, energy and money trying to support their relative through the long and arduous journey from arrest and through to release. Whether it be the father who turns up to court each day despite the impact it has on his mental health, or the grandparent who was there when no one else was to pick the child up from school, families are a beacon of hope for those who have nowhere else to turn.

The CSJ acknowledges that at Whitehall level, ministers have acted to prioritise the needs of families. For instance, prison governors now have to produce local strategies setting out their plans to support family engagement. But despite repeated promises from government “the evidence suggests a highly inconsistent recognition of the importance of family across the criminal justice system.”

Dominic Raab, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, said: “The CSJ is right to say that prisoners are less likely to reoffend if they keep strong ties with their families while in jail.

“That’s why at our newest prison, HMP Five Wells, has a family area, a homework club and facilities to join parents’ evenings so fathers can to stay in engaged with their children’s lives.

“Family ties, together with tackling drug addictions, developing skills and getting into work, help to cut reoffending, drive down crime and protect the public.”

Emily Farley, CSJ Head of Criminal Justice, said: “Our research shows that there is a breakdown between government policy and what is happening on the ground. Delivering on the interests of the family at the heart of the criminal justice system would have huge benefit for reoffending rates, the taxpayer, and the prospects of children and their families alike.”

The CSJ’s proposals include:

· A mechanism to enable children with a parent in prison to be identified and referred for support if they require it. This will ensure that vulnerable children do not slip through the net.

· A statutory duty to ensure that judges and magistrates consider the needs of dependents when a primary caregiver is sentenced. Currently dependents can be considered as a mitigating factor during sentencing, but research suggests this does not always happen.

· Given how important they are for families and prisoners, where appropriate, the right to family visits should always be maintained. Family days must also be made available to all family members, including stepparents and grandparents.

· Families should be supported to come together again after imprisonment where this is the desire of the family and prison leaver and it is safe to do so.