Cameron’s ‘rehabilitation revolution’ for prisoners

In a speech in London, the prime minister said only those people jailed for longer than a year currently received rehabilitation, but in future most offenders would be helped to leave crime behind.

Following a tough week for Mr Cameron – with the resignation of Andrew Mitchell and confusion over energy tariffs – the speech is an attempt to show the government is in touch with people’s everyday concerns.

On crime, the prime minister is best remembered for what has become known as his “hug a hoodie” speech when he was in opposition. Today’s announcement continued that process, with more effective rehabilitation combined with tough sentences for serious offenders.

‘Hug a hoodie’

Mr Cameron, who visited Wormwood Scrubs prison today, said: “For many people, I’m the person associated with those three words, two of which begin with H, and one of which is hoodie… even though I never actually said it.

“For others, I’m the politician who has argued for tough punishment. So do I take a tough line on crime – or a touchy-feely one? In no other public debate do the issues get polarised like this.”

“And yet with the crime debate, people seem to want it black or white. Lock ’em up or let ’em out. What I have been trying to do – in opposition and now in government – is break out of this sterile debate and show a new way forward: tough, but intelligent.”

Mr Cameron said that by the end of 2015, he wanted to see “payment with results spread right across rehabilitation”, adding: “Today, rehab just goes to those who have been inside for a year or more.

“But that misses all those who go in for shorter sentences yet re-offend time and time again. So I want to look at making them part of the rehabilitation revolution too.”

‘Retribution’

Despite his emphasis on rehabilitation, the Conservative leader said it was right that serious crimes attracted long prison sentences. “Retribution is not a dirty word. It is important to society that revulsion against crime is properly recognised.”

For many people, I’m the person associated with those three words, two of which begin with H, and one of which is hoodie… even though I never actually said it. David Cameron

But Mr Cameron said it was also important to recognise that “just being tough isn’t a successful strategy in itself”. Prisoners who could not read, were addicted to drugs or had never worked needed help so that they could lead productive lives.

“Recognising this isn’t soft or liberal, it’s common sense. Prevention is the cheapest and most effective way to deal with crime. Everything else is simply picking up the pieces of failure that has gone before.”

Mr Cameron said the government wanted to see fewer prisoners returning to jail. “To achieve that, we’re saying to charities, companies and voluntary organisations – come and help us rehabilitate our prisoners.

Payment by results

“If they’ve been in a gang, send a reformed gang member to meet them at the prison gates and take them under their wing. If they’re on drugs, try the latest techniques to get them clean.

“Do whatever it takes to get these people back living decent, productive lives. We will pay you for that, but – and it’s a major “but” – once again the payments will depend on results.”

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling told the BBC Today programme: “The benefit of a payment by results system is it forces the organisations working with you to look for what really does work because they don’t get paid unless they do.”

But shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said: “There is nothing intelligent or tough about cutting frontline police officers, reducing the power of judges to give tough sentences or cutting support for innocent victims of crime.

“This is nothing more than a smokescreen to try and cover up Andrew Mitchell losing his job on Friday and 29 wasted months of dithering on law and order.”