Lack of contact with family members or the homelessness associated with being cut off from family ties on leaving prison is a factor leading to repeat offending. From today families and friends of prisoners will be able to take a virtual tour of a typical prison and get a better feel for what it is like ‘inside’. The aim of the website is to make prison life more understandable and less traumatic to ensure that family members know how to keep in touch with their loved ones, how to arrange visits and what happens when they arrive at prison on visits.The website uses pictures, sound and text to guide viewers through the physical environment of the prison and tries to answer the most likely questions of those facing a prison sentence or their family.

Read more on GETTING FAMILIES ON BOARD TO REDUCE RE-OFFENDING…

A new campaign has been launched to recruit graduates from across industry and commerce into teaching. The Teacher Training Agency is seeking out people who are dissatisfied with their current careers and feel that their talents are being underused.Ralph Tabberer, Chief Executive of the Agency said: “Recent Ofsted reports show that schools now have the best newly qualified teachers ever. With comprehensive training and more effective support in schools, teachers can look forward to a stimulating and challenging career which is difficult to match.”

Read more on TEACHER RECRUITMENT TARGETS GRADUATES…

This report by The Public Administration Select Committee suggests that targets and tables can hamper service delivery. It assesses the measurement culture and concentrates in particular on performance targets, including PSAs, and league tables. The Report recognizes the need for targets and that taxpayers and users of public services have a right to know how well their services are being delivered and who is accountable for them. The Committee found that the aims of targets, such as giving a clear sense of direction and a focus on delivering results, are in many cases not being fulfilled nor widely recognised by those on the front line whose job it is to deliver them. The report identifies cases where “delivering on targets seemed to have become more important than delivering on services” . It calls for better integration of the performance and measurement cultures and greater local autonomy to construct more meaningful and relevant targets.The Report is available at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmpubadm/62/6203.htm

Read more on ON TARGET – GOVERNMENT BY MEASUREMENT…