Half of prisoners freed in West Midlands commit serious crime
A total of 340 serious crimes, including violent and sexual attacks, were committed by criminals after their release from prison, new figures reveal today.
Almost half of those released from prison in the West Midlands in 2011 went on to reoffend within a year, including 3,739 thefts, 1,539 lower level violent crimes including assault, and 896 motoring offences.
The rate of re-offending across the region ranges from 44 to 50 per cent since 2005, compared with the national average of 46 to 49 per cent. Around 600,000 crimes are committed each year across England and Wales by those who have already broken the law.
The statistics have been revealed by the Ministry of Justice ahead of their proposed reforms on dealing with those being released after serving less than 12 months.
As part of their plans 82 jails across the country will become 'resettlement prisons' where inmates can be moved closer to their homes prior to their release. These include Featherstone, which will serve the West Mercia and Warwickshire areas; and Oakwood, Hewell in Redditch and Dovegate near Uttoxeter, which will all serve the Staffordshire and West Midlands area.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling MP said: "We need to make these reforms so we can supervise those who are most likely to reoffend, then we can really start to tackle re-offending."
Currently, offenders serving less than 12 months in prison are released without any mandatory supervision or rehabilitation. Reforms will mean that every offender released from prison is subject to at least 12 months' supervision in the community. A new public sector National Probation Service tasked with protecting the public from the most dangerous would also be formed.
