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HMP Forest Bank

Category B

Male only from 18

1400 residents

Remand and Sentenced

Partnership agreement with the Co-operative Bank signed March 2006 BANKING ON A FRESH START LAUNCHED May 2006

page 2

Bank Accounts Prior To Release

90% have no relevant ID. 75% poorly educated. Difficulty accessing services. 9 % can’t read or write. 70% fear forms and bureaucracy. Some loose their bank account on entering the prison. Any effective resettlement hampered by lack of a bank

account:

i. Excluded from Training Grants

ii. Excluded from Further and higher education grants

iii. Housing made difficult

iv. Employment made difficult

page 3

Northern Rock Arrangement

Application form

Copy of prison ID + covering letter

£1 cheque

Problems

Deposit was problematic

Prisoners had to attend branch on release to register

No continuity – when personnel changed had to start from scratch

page 4

INITIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CFS

Regular telephone calls Meeting with Community Projects Manager Various departmental meetings at CFS head office Scheme tailored to prison needs

- Zero balance/opened prior to release/no input from prisoner required

Scheme integrated into bank main computer – gives continuity (05/06)

Pilot scheme started May 2006

page 5

Why Did CFS Proceed To A Pilot

History of Community links eg Big Issue Project prior to 2005

Positively motivated to help financially excluded minorities (cashminder offered to asylum seekers)

Currently involved in arts partnership with North West prisons

Investigating new ways of reaching potential customers

Genuine interest in rehabilitation of offenders and research of potential impact

Quote

“Crime reduction and the prevention of re-offending is one of the 3 key themes of the CFS Community Strategy – the provision of bank accounts which will improve access to employment and housing is, therefore, a key element of this strategy”

Source: Community Partnership Agreement between CFS and HMP Forest Bank (March 06)

page 6

page 7

Motivating Participants

Given info on arrival during induction. Run regular budgeting courses which contain a banking unit. Pre-release induction give info again. Chapel runs prisoner/partner finance course. Staff fully informed during training. Dedicated banking lead. Probation/OMU/Programmes staff fully informed. Prisoner word of mouth. Peer pressure.

page 8

Impact on capacity For Independence

Makes life easier in general –

i. Receive benefits

ii. Receive grants

iii. Pay rent by D/D

iv. Pay wages in

Helps in managing money – no need to carry cash

Increases confidence

Psychological impact – feel part of mainsteam society.

page 9

SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT

Measures of success

06 – 10 (August)

Applications 1313

Accounts Opened 1210

Refused 70

1000th account reached April 2010

29 prisons included in scheme