21 January 2005
Audit Scotland has urged the Scottish Prison Service to carry out a detailed assessment of the £30m correctional programmes for prisoners, which accounted for 12% of the cost of operating its prisons in 2002/03.
In a report published this week, the public spending watchdog said studies had shown that such programmes can help reduce re-offending. But there is little data in Scotland to indicate the effect of the correctional opportunities on offer, the report added.
Nearly half of all prisoners released in 1999 were back in prison within two years.
The report, Correctional opportunities for prisoners, said that although SPS recognised the importance of rehabilitating prisoners, it had no statutory duty to do so and the Scottish Executive had not set objectives for the service in this area.
The SPS had undertaken only a limited evaluation of the success of its offending behaviour programmes and had yet to evaluate their impact on reducing re-offending.
Deputy auditor general Caroline Gardner said that the provision of education, vocational training and behaviour management programmes had increased, but more information was needed about their effectiveness and values.
She added: 'The SPS recognises it must measure the effectiveness of its correctional programmes. Monitoring results is essential for evaluating how well public money is being spent.'
PFjan2005
