1.28 Developing a performance measurement system which reflects the containment and rehabilitation roles of prisons is very difficult. It is relatively straightforward to have a contractual requirement which penalises contractors for failing to prevent prisoners from escaping. It is less clear how a contract can measure the extent to which a prison has contributed to reducing the likelihood of re-offending. As we noted in a previous study, there are little data available on the success of individual prisons in reducing re-offending16.
1.29 The balance between the emphasis on containment and rehabilitation in prisons, and the activities which have been promoted to facilitate rehabilitation, have changed on a number of occasions over the last 25 years. These changes have resulted from political direction, academic research and, to some extent, prison population pressures. It is reasonable to expect that Correctional Services' priorities will change over the 25 years of current PFI contracts and in certain areas there have already been changes since the first contracts were signed.
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16 NAO report HM Prison Service : Reducing Prisoner Re-offending HC 548, 2002.