Reducing reoffending ultimate aim of Thames Valley pilot prison scheme

"Trauma-informed" training sessions will be delivered as part of a programme in the Thames Valley to support people leaving prison and to reduce reoffending.

RESTART Thames Valley is a year-long pilot scheme which supports people leaving prison, including women and people on short term sentences, by helping them to find work and a stable home.

They will also get improved access to local support groups to help them rebuild their families.  

The training sessions have been announced by Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley.

The workshops will be for practitioners, including those from prisons and probation, charitable organisations and local authorities. They will focus on reoffending in particular.

Matthew said: “The highest risk of reoffending is within the first few weeks after being released from prison.

"A trauma-informed approach is nationally evidenced and recommended and the training sessions are an important step in improving our response to reoffending.

“Ultimately, RESTART not only helps to get people’s lives back on track once they leave prison, but by reducing reoffending we will also be protecting the public and ensuring there are fewer victims of crime in the future.”