26 September 2013

Waveney MP Peter Aldous has written to the Prisons Minister, Jeremy Wright, about the future of the Therapeutic Community at HMP Blundeston, having listened to the concerns of staff on his visit to the prison last Friday.

The Therapeutic Community at Blundeston has 40 places for Category C prisoners and it is important that those currently on courses are able to complete them.

Therapeutic Communities play a key role in the successful rehabilitation of prisoners by enabling them to analyse their actions and gain an understanding, as part of a group-based approach, as to why they ended up in prison.

Research has shown that having completed a course, a prisoner is 25% less likely to offend, whilst those that do not complete therapy are statistically more likely to offend than had they never begun therapy in the first place.

In his letter to the Minister, Mr Aldous stated:

“It is vital that the Therapeutic Community is relocated within the region and staff working there have the opportunity of moving and continuing to work in the facility; not only will this provide continuity in the treatment of prisoners, it will also keep together a hardworking and passionate team who are carrying out extremely important work.”