Cutting Crime: The Case for Justice Reinvestment

HC 94-I, First Report of Session 2009-10 - Volume I: Report Together with Formal Minutes

Author:: House of Commons - Justice Committee
Publisher:: TSO (The Stationery Office)

Cutting Crime: The Case for Justice Reinvestment - HC 94-I

'Cutting Crime: The Case for Justice Reinvestment (HCP 94-I)', the first report from the Justice Committee in the 2009-10 session, calls for a change in the way we tackle criminal justice and seek to cut re-offending.

The Committee states that the criminal justice system faces a 'crisis of sustainability' if resources continue to be absorbed by an ever-expanding programme of prison building rather than on preventing crimes from being committed. Prison buildings are not an effective long-term answer to coping with the already record-breaking prison population which is predicted to rise further. The average prison place costs £41,000 a year (plus further capital costs and health and education expenditure on top) with the Government's new prisons costing - on current estimates - up to £4.2 billion over the next 35 years.

The Committee believes that a more 'prudent, rational, effective and humane' use of resources is needed to shift the focus of expenditure away from incarceration and towards rehabilitation and prevention. This would involve investment in local education, health, drug, alcohol and community programmes in targeted areas based on analyses of where offences occur, where offenders live and 'what works' in reducing offending. This is known as 'justice reinvestment'.

'Cutting Crime: the Case for Justice Reinvestment, Volume 2 (HC94-II)' has also been published and contains oral and written evidence (ISBN 9780215543110).

Extent	226 pages	ISBN	9780215543080
Size	A4	Price	£23.00
Binding	Paperback	Published	14 Jan 2010
Availability	Colour copy: 3 - 5 days	Delivery	Delivery options and charges