Rough sleeper numbers treble for prison leavers.

Cardiff University have recently published statistics showing that more than three times the amount of people released from prison are rough sleeping than previously reported, a rise of 210%. The Ministry of Justice’s ‘Prisons in Wales’ fact file shows a rise from 2022 – 2023 of 225 people sleeping rough following their release.

Back in February 2023, Jane Hutt MS, Minister for Social Justice opened a seminar run by Adferiad Recovery on the criminal justice system in Wales. This seminar promoted collaborative work between professionals and those with lived experience and we gathered valuable insights into recovery and rehabilitation within the criminal justice system.

Amongst many other issues, Adferiad called for action to ensure that when people are released from prison, they are provided with access to housing support as a priority, as well as sufficient money and appropriate financial advice.

We again call for this action to be made a priority.

If you would like to read our report, you can find it here in English, ac yma yn y Gymraeg.

To read the Nation.cymru article addressing this in full, please click here.