Rochdale re-offending rates remain high

Re-offending rates in Rochdale remain high – with more than two in five juveniles criminals offending more than once – according to figures released by the Ministry of Justice.

In the most recent 12-month period for which stats have been published, 769 of the 2746 offenders – adult and juvenile - in Rochdale were re-offenders.

However, with the Ministry of Justice looking to push through probation reforms, including 12-month supervision orders upon release from prison, Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has urged caution.

“Along with many who work in the criminal justice system, I have serious concerns about the Government’s plans to overhaul the probation system,” he said. “I have made these very clear to ministers.

“These unclear plans could have significant implications for Greater Manchester, where our strong partnership working has seen improvements in the way services are delivered.

“The lack of detail in the plans and the national contracting framework will put this at risk and is why I do not support these plans, and have called for Greater Manchester to be exempted from the contract area proposals.”

Re-offending statistics, released alongside the Government’s statement regarding probation changes, showed 9,550 criminals in Greater Manchester reoffended in the 12-month period up to June 2011 - the most recent figures available.

In Rochdale, 26% of adults reoffended while an alarming 42.7% of juveniles did - the second highest figure in the region behind Bolton.

These are well above the national averages of 25.5% and 36% respectively.

In order to tackle these figures, the Ministry of Justice has proposed what it is dubbing ‘the biggest reorganisation of the prison estate in more than 20 years’.

The shake-up includes advanced GPS-tracking to more closely monitor ex-criminals in the community and the creation of a nationwide network of around 70 resettlement prisons.

Support will also be offered in housing, employment, training and substance abuse programmes in a bid to reduce the reoffending problems.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Tackling our stubbornly high reoffending rates has dogged successive governments for decades.

“These reforms represent a golden opportunity to finally turn the tide and put a stopper in the revolving door of the justice system.

“It is simply not good enough that we spend £4bn a year on prisons and probation, and yet make no real dent in the appetite of offenders to commit more crime.

“It is little wonder, when many of our most prolific criminals leave prison totally unsupervised in the community.

“These reforms are essential and will ensure that offenders are properly punished but also given targeted support to help them turn away from crime for good.”

However, Mr Lloyd has been against the proposals from the outset, and expressed his ‘serious concerns’ about the proposals as far back as February during the consultation period.

In a letter to the Ministry of Justice he wrote: “Historically there were unacceptable practices between Probation and other services, exemplified by a lack of engagement and silo working.

“However, in recent years Greater Manchester has developed mature and established partnership arrangements, which have seen a marked improvement to the way in which services are delivered.

“I see this as extremely beneficial and would not want any new regime to put this arrangement in jeopardy.”

Mr Lloyd has stated he would prefer Greater Manchester to work alone to tackle the issue as opposed to being part of the new national proposals.