Better prisons: less crime, says Lords committee

Improve prisons to reduce crime, says the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee in its report published today. 

80 per cent of offending is reoffending. Better prisons with access to purposeful and productive activities as central to their purpose will make them safer and reduce reoffending on release, which is estimated to cost around £18 billion a year and is a major contributor to the size of the prison population. (Please see reoffending rate, overcrowding and population by region in table below).  

The current situation in prisons hinders the provision of these activities, preventing prisoners from seeking support with mental health problems and addiction, or securing training and education opportunities that can prepare them for life outside, according to the report. A more diverse range of educational opportunities in prisons and the introduction of a strategic approach to employment in prisons, linking work opportunities to labour market needs and providing transferable skills is needed. The committee heard that the challenge is also to fill the workshops where they are available, and this needs to be addressed.  

There is an urgent need for wider prison reform, as they are currently operating in a state of crisis. They are overcrowded, often in bad and unsanitary condition, and face issues such as a shortage of funds, gangs operating with impunity, drones undermining security, an alarming availability of drugs and over-stretched, demoralised staff.  

The report, which focuses on leadership, governance and staffing of prisons, finds the following: 

• A lack of clarity about the purpose of prisons  

• Lack of public understanding about prisons  

• Limited autonomy for prison governors  

• A wholly inadequate prison staff recruitment procedure  

• Poor staff assessment and training arrangements  

• Siloed working, with a lack of effective cross-agency collaboration within His Majesty's Prison and probation Service (HMPPS) and with external partners 

• Insufficient “purposeful activity” designed to reduce re-offending  

• A sense of complacency and inadequate accountability arrangements  throughout the prison service 

• Reviewed in totality, HMPPS is inflexible, and overly bureaucratic 

This report argues that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) should set out a clear and consistent statement of the purpose of prison, with reducing reoffendingas central. This should becommunicatedwithin the system, across government and to the wider public to build greater support for evidence-based approaches to reducing reoffending.The MoJ should also strike a better balance between governor autonomy and centralised control, ensuring that Governors have the necessary authority to lead effectively. 

The prison system faces a severe recruitment and retention crisis, with high turnover, low morale, and insufficient experienced staff. The current training of prison officers is woefully inadequate. The MoJ should introduce more frequent and role-specific training for prison officers. Existing training for those working with women and children should be reviewed and lengthened.

Lord Foster of Bath, Chair of the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee Said: 

“During our inquiry we heard from many people involved in all aspects of prison life—prison governors, officers, charities, campaign groups, chaplains, Ministry of Justice officials, politicians and the Minister for Prisons himself. We spoke to prisoners in two prisons we visited, and we received letters from many others. 

“Everyone knows that the prison system in England and Wales is nearly at breaking point. The Government is already taking steps to address the capacity crisis, and there are reforms to the wider criminal justice system which are being considered.  

“But the situation will not improve without clarity of purpose. We agree with the Minister that reducing reoffending is central to the purpose of prisons, but this goal needs to be embedded at every level within the Service. 

“Prison Governors must be given the freedom to run their prisons as they see fit. They are ultimately responsible for what goes on in their prisons, and they should have a greater say on who works in them. 

“A career in the prison service is a noble thing, but it is not for everyone. The recruitment process currently gives candidates little idea of what working in a prison is like, and that needs to change. We were horrified to learn about the lack of a proper appraisal process for staff within the Prison Service. 

“Providing purposeful activity for prisoners is key to ensuring that prisoners are prepared for life outside the prison. That means providing education and training that is relevant for them, and it should be tailored towards securing employment after release. 

“We are not yet persuaded that HMPPS is fit for purpose, but we believe that joined-up working between the Prison Service and Probation Service is essential if the aim of reducing reoffending is to be achieved. That's why we say there should be an Inspectorate or standards office with enhanced powers. This body should cover all aspects of HMPPS and it should be able to make recommendations about its policies and its structures. 

“It is essential and possible to build a better prison system that protects the public and helps reduce re-offending; other countries have done so. It is about time that England and Wales did the same.” 

Note to editors 

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/proven-reoffending-statistics-april-to-june-2023 

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-population-monthly-prison-figures-2025  

NB: Prisoner numbers for reoffending rates are based on prisoners released in 2023. Prisoner numbers for capacity purposes are based on monthly figures from 2025. The Ministry for Justice releases updated prisoner population figures weekly.