Prisoners released on Fridays more likely to re-offend, says Herts deputy crime commissioner

Prisoners released on Fridays more likely to re-offend, says Hertfordshire’s deputy police and crime commissioner.

Whether or not a prisoner re-offends, could depend on the day of the week they are released, councillors have been told.

According to Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Cllr Lewis Cocking, prisoners released at the beginning of a week find it easier to access the services they need.

And that could have an impact on whether – or not – they stay on the right side of the law.

Cllr Cocking raised the issue at a meeting of the county council’s public health and community safety cabinet panel on Friday (June 30).

And he told councillors: “We are doing a lot of work around when is the right time to release someone from prison.

“And there is some stark data out there in terms of that re-offending.

“If they are released early on in the week, they have got four days where everything is open – where they can access those services that they need.

“Whereas on a Friday they haven’t.

“So there is a massive correlation between when people are released and whether they re-offend or not.

“And we are obviously trying to work through all of that.”

Cllr Cocking – who was presenting the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s annual report 2022/23 – made the remarks in response to a question about HMP The Mount.

Commissioner David Lloyd chairs that Hertfordshire Criminal Justice Board, which includes partners from the CPS, the police, HM Courts & Tribunals Service and HM Prison and Probation Service.

And it is understood that last year, the Board adopted a policy of not releasing prisoners from HMP The Mount on a Friday.

This was in a bid to help overcome issues of released prisoners not being able to access services such as housing, benefits and prescriptions from GPs.

Meanwhile, there are also moves to reduce the number of prisoners released at the end of the week on a national level.

The Offenders (Day of Release from Detention) Bill will give prison governors the power to release prisoners with mental health issues substance misuse problems or far to travel home on a Wednesday or Thursday instead.

That Bill received Royal Assent last week and is due to come into force in coming weeks.

At the meeting of the public health and community safety cabinet panel Cllr Cocking was asked about HMP The Mount by Liberal Democrat Cllr Ron Tindall, who is also leader of Dacorum Borough Council.

In response to Cllr Tindall’s question Cllr Cocking said that around one in three inmates at the prison (33 per cent) were local to Hertfordshire.

Cllr Tindall had asked whether part of the release process included returning the 66 per cent of released offenders not previously from Hertfordshire to the areas they had lived previously.

What is a PCC?

A police and crime commissioner is an elected official in England and Wales responsible for generally overseeing police forces. A police, fire and crime commissioner is an elected official in England responsible for generally overseeing both police forces and fire services