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Resettlement
At HMP Altcourse, two groups of staff have a particular responsibility for resettlement.
The Probation Team co-ordinate the resettlement of those prisoners who will be released on licence, and the newly-formed Resettlement Team prioritise work with those sentenced to less than 12 months and who receive no statutory support or supervision on release, and those currently on remand.
Central to successful resettlement is ensuring that a released prisoner has somewhere to live, and either a job or a training place to go to. Experience (and common sense) tells us that without these there is a much greater likelihood of his re-offending. Resettlement staff will see all prisoners soon after they arrive at HMP Altcourse to assess their resettlement needs and to draw up a resettlement Action Plan (or a Sentence Plan for those serving longer sentences). Where appropriate, attention is also given to factors such as family ties, health, substance misuse, social and life skills and financial management.
A series of Offending Behaviour Programmes help prisoners to look at the attitudes and thinking which lie behind their offending, and give them the opportunity to make changes. Much hard work is required as long-established attitudes, values and ways of living are not easily changed.
The Prison Service has put Resettlement at the heart of its agenda. Life at HMP Altcourse reflects this priority. It gives every person held in custody the opportunity to plan for and work towards a crime-free life on release.
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