Yesterday, The Times newspaper has released its Crime and Justice Commission report – an in-depth exploration of the future of policing, courts, sentencing, and prisons in the UK, accompanied by proposals for reform.
Committed to building stronger communities and supporting people at every stage of the justice system, we are pleased to see that many of the themes raised reflect what we have long advocated for. The report rightly emphasises that the most effective way to tackle crime is by addressing its root causes, such as addiction and mental health challenges as well as finding efficiencies in an overstretched criminal justice system. These ideas are at the heart of Catch22’s approach, underpinning our services and levering our learning and expertise into policy work. Below, we explore the key areas of the report that resonate most with us and align closely with our own values.
Offender rehabilitation and resettlement
From our partnership work in the secure estate and with probation services, we know that re-offending is best prevented by good offender management and support – both in prison and the community. We are therefore encouraged to see that the report acknowledges the need for significant improvements in rehabilitation and resettlement.
In particular, we welcome that the report highlights the issue of high recall rates, often triggered by “quite trivial breaches of licence conditions”, which now make up 15% of the prison population in England and Wales, significantly contributing to overcrowding.
This echoes our own concerns around the overuse of Fixed-Term Recall (FTR) – a practice we explored in depth in our recent FTR Insights Paper. We have argued that FTRs lack a rehabilitative focus and often disrupt progress rather than support it. Our recommendations include improving early identification of risk with high-intensity support, developing alternatives to recall, and ensuring continuity of rehabilitation for those affected.
Young people impacted by violence and exploitation
Catch22 delivers extensive services supporting children and young people at risk of violence and exploitation, such as our County Lines Support and Rescue service and embedded youth work provision in A&Es and custody suites. Based on this experience, we welcome the report’s recognition that “most young people involved in gangs are victims rather than criminal masterminds”. We believe that this reframing is crucial, not in the least to avoid the criminalisation of children instead of them receiving effective prevention and early intervention support.
Support at the right time can stop young people from becoming entrenched in cycles of exploitation, violence, and offending.
We therefore thank the Commission for the opportunity to share evidence from our Redthread service, which embeds youth workers in A&Es across ten hospitals in London and Birmingham, and for its Chair, Rachel Sylvester, to visit our Redhread partnership with St Mary’s Hospital. We are pleased to see that the Commission recommends the expansion of this crucial ‘engage and divert’ type provision.
Online harms and cybercrime
The report’s focus on online harms and radicalisation, particularly among young people, is timely. Although Catch22 agrees that this issue needs confronting, we do not support a ban for under-16s from social media as a blanket solution. Instead, and alongside stricter regulation of online platforms that is robustly enforced, we advocate for a more empowering approach: equipping young people with the knowledge, tools, and support to navigate the digital world safely and confidently.
Our Social Switch Project, for example, provides training to parents/trusted adults, schools and professionals that children come into contact with. At Catch22 we believe that education and engagement are far more effective than restriction alone.
At our Catch22 victim services, we also see daily the devastating impact of cybercrime and tech-enabled fraud on its victims. The report notes that cybercrime and fraud now account for about half of all crime affecting people in England and Wales and recognises that it causes not only financial but also emotional and psychological harm. We believe more tailored support is needed for victims of cybercrime, such as the peer support groups we have delivered for those affected by romance fraud.
The role of technology in justice reform
While technological advancement poses these significant risks, the report also rightly recognises its role in modernising the justice system, stating that “the justice system needs to enter the digital age”. We have long championed better use of technology to achieve more effective rehabilitation and resettlement.
As a service provider we have learned that, for instance, duplicated administration and fragmented systems reduce the capacity of probation services and other agencies to focus on meaningful work.
We continue to call for a comprehensive, cross-system strategy that includes the third sector as a key partner in data-sharing and driving innovation.
Public attitudes
Finally, one of the most positive takeaways from the report for Catch22 is the clear indication that public attitudes toward criminal justice are evolving. Increasingly, people are supporting community-based sentences for non-violent offenders (47% verses 36%), advocating for drug and alcohol treatment as alternatives to prison (75%) and prioritising the prevention of reoffending over the punishment of offenders (36% verses 14%).
Catch22 welcomes this shift. Through our work with individuals in custody and on probation, we have seen first-hand the transformative impact of addressing the root causes of criminal behaviour. We firmly believe this approach is essential to reducing crime and creating safer, more resilient communities.
We were pleased to see this report bring much-needed attention to the challenges and opportunities within our justice system and especially welcome its shift in focus from punishment to prevention.
We firmly believe that lasting change in the justice system can only be achieved through strong partnerships – between government, public services, communities, and the voluntary sector. Collaboration is crucial for everything we do, from our frontline delivery to our policy work. That’s why we were pleased to see the report bring together diverse voices from across these sectors, recognising that meaningful reform depends on working together.
As a trusted delivery partner working across prisons, probation, and community services, we see daily the unique value the voluntary and community sector brings – reaching individuals others can’t, building trust, and driving innovation.
There is still much work to do. If we want safer communities and fewer victims, we must address the root causes of crime and ensure that every individual – especially the most vulnerable – has the chance to turn their life around.
At Catch22, our vision remains clear: a strong society where everyone has a good place to live, a purpose, and good people around them. We will continue to play our part and work closely with others to achieve this.