Cutbacks to offender help scheme 'will boost crime'

Published on Monday 7 June 2010 10:22

CUTBACKS at a project working with offenders could lead to an increase in crime in the Capital, it was claimed today.

Staff at community safety organisation Sacro are facing pay cuts and job losses after council funding was slashed by 25 per cent.

Today, one member of staff said the likely result was more crimes being committed.

Sacro's through-care project, based at Epworth Halls in Nicolson Square, Newington, works with offenders from before they leave prison until they are settled back in the community.

The staff member, who did not want to be named, said the cuts would seriously affect the service being offered.

"It will mean people coming out of prison are not going to get the support they are supposed to receive, and that is likely to lead to higher re-offending – thefts will go up, drug use will go up and we will be back to the revolving door of people heading back into prison."

The cuts are the result of the council's re-tendering of the contract for provision of the through-care service, along with other projects.

The staff member said some employees faced having their pay cut from 25,500 to just 19,000.

"They are proposing to slash wages by 25-30 per cent. Some people will end up on less money than when they started nine years ago.

"They have changed the job descriptions so criminal justice workers will become criminal justice support workers. They will have to do basically the same work, but it has been changed slightly to make it legal.

"The through-care project previously had six criminal justice workers and a team leader, but will now be reduced to two criminal justice workers and three support workers.

"Sacro is hoping everyone accepts the wage cuts and just carries on doing what they're doing, but morale is on the floor and people are saying they will just be sticking to their contracts."

A spokesman for Sacro, which carries out similar work across the country, acknowledged there were job losses and some staff were having to take a "lesser position".

He insisted the service would still meet the requirements.

He said: "The budget is down 25 per cent, which required us to have a look at our structure. We have proposed changes which are now out to consultation with the staff.

"We have been able to reorganise ourselves to manage all the services with fewer people.

"We are confident we can deliver the service as required."

A council spokeswoman said: "The council's criminal justice service recently went through a procurement process which was about getting the best possible value for money. We are confident this process will have no impact on the service offered."