§ 13. Mr. KhabraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role the(a) Prison Service and (b) probation services have in reducing crime; and if he will make a statement. [104119]
§ Hilary BennThe Prison and Probation Services contribute jointly to the Home Office target to reduce re-offending by 5 per cent. for both offenders sentenced to imprisonment and those given community sentences. The latest published figures, for adults commencing community penalties or discharged from custody in 1999, show a 3.2 per cent. reduction in reconvictions compared with 1997.