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NOMS support for faith-based Prisons Week

20.11.06

The annual faith-based Prisons Week (new window) which began yesterday is being supported by the National Offender Management Service.

The national week emphasises the need to pray for prisoners, prisoners’ families, victims of crime and those who work in the criminal justice system. Marking this week’s event the Minister for Criminal Justice, Baroness Scotland participated in an inter-denominational service in London last Tuesday at Clerkenwell’s St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church.

The service was organised by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (new window) (PACT), a charity working with prisoners and prisoners’ families in a number of prisons.  The service drew together representatives of Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodists and Free Churches, the Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventists and Black Majority Churches. 

Baroness Scotland says the NOMS Faith, Voluntary and Community Sector Alliance (new window) has a vital part to play in the care and resettlement of offenders.

She says: "People of faith have the motivation to care for all – for people of no faith, and people of some – whatever has happened, whatever they have done, and wherever they may have been.    
 
"This week a NOMS Chaplaincy Conference Believing We Can will bring together a wide range of faith-based individuals, organisations and groups seeking to develop the work of this Alliance.”

During last week’s service a candle was lit for each of the 141 prisons in England and Wales. A special 142nd candle was lit for the prisoners held in police cells under the Government’s Operation Safeguard.

PACT Director Andy Keen-Downs says churches need to support prisoners’ families and to support prisoners leaving prisons who have no family to turn to for help.

"For many prisoners, it is the family that offers the single most cost-effective reason for not re-offending.  Being able to return to a home, with people who love you, gives you hope.  It gives you a degree of stability.  It gives you the chance of getting a job – of an honest wage.  It gives you something to look forward to when you’re doing your time.”

Find out more information about Prisons Week here (new window).