December 21, 2005: Homelessness and Young Prisoners

New  Howard League for Penal Reform research indicates that homelessness amongst young prisoners needs to be urgently tackled. A new Howard League report 'The Key to the future? The housing needs of young adults in prison' calls on the Government to urgently review housing legislation in order to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping amongst young people who have been in prison.

The report argues that local authorities should have a statutory duty to house homeless young people when they are released from prison. It highlights the importance of secure and stable housing to the successful resettlement of young men who have been in prison and the importance of housing in reducing reoffending. The report found that:

• 75% of young men in prison have left home and the average age that they left was 15 years old.
• The young men said that they were more likely to get involved in offending if their housing needs were not met.
• One in five of the young men in prison reported that they were homeless.
• A quarter believed that housing was crucial to their successful resettlement and would help them to live crime-free lives.

The report also called for:

• Over 18 year olds to be entitled to the same housing benefit rate as older adults.
• Training for prison and probation officers to include housing related issues so that they are equipped to provide basic housing advice and know who will be able to provide more specialist help if it is needed.

Report author Finola Farrant said:

“When young people themselves say that having safe and secure housing will help stop them committing further offences the Government should sit up and take notice."

"Many young people will be released from prison this Christmas and will spend the coming weeks homeless. Yet having appropriate accommodation, including support to maintain it, could make all the difference between someone re-offending or not”.