The role played by prison officers is so often overlooked and misunderstood, and your editorial (22 March) is right to highlight staff when addressing some of the issues facing prisons. Those on the frontline are uniquely placed to drive change across the system, and good prison officers can radically improve outcomes for those in their care. To build a prison system that promotes rehabilitation, staff must be at the heart of these efforts and we need to be recruiting, training and developing outstanding frontline leaders.
The challenges in prisons are well documented and reoffending rates remain stubbornly high, costing the taxpayer billions every year. With so many prisoners spending more than 22 hours in their cells every day, the officers on the landings are the most influential members of staff in a prison. Only they can reach all prisoners, even those who refuse to engage with the rest of the system. The success of efforts to reform the system – including many of those introduced by the new Sentencing Act – requires transformative leaders on the frontline.
In nearly a decade of delivering the Unlocked Graduates programme we have seen prison officers build relationships with some of the hardest-to-reach people, while working in some of the toughest public sector environments. It is prison officers who promote change in everyday interactions, encouraging prisoners to engage in education programmes, rebuild family connections and set positive goals to help reduce reoffending. Continued investment in this group is non-negotiable.
Natasha Porter
CEO and founder, Unlocked Graduates
