Clink Charity's hospitality training schemes reducing reoffending by 49.6%

The Clink Charity is reducing reoffending by up to 49.6% through its prisoner hospitality training scheme.

New data analysis from a report conducted by the Justice Data Lab (JDL) and the Ministry of Justice provides evidence that prisoners participating in the charity's training scheme in partnership with Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) had reduced reoffending rates, achieving a "statistically significant result".

The report looked at ex-offenders who have trained for between six and 18 months at Clink Restaurants at HMP High Down in Surrey, HMP Brixton in London, HMP Cardiff in Wales and HMP Styal in Cheshire between 2010 and 2015.

Clink graduates who qualified for analysis were measured comparatively to individuals that have not received the Clink's intervention but were similar in circumstance.

The data shows that in 2014/15 Clink graduates had a 10.7% reoffending rate compared to the control group's 20.9%, a 10% difference and a 49.6% improvement.

The new combined results of the Clink, from its launch in 2009 to 2015, reveal graduates had a 16% reoffending rate compared to the comparison group's 25%; a 36% improvement.

Chris Moore, chief executive of the Clink Charity, said: "We are delighted that these new results have shown a reduction in reoffending against comparative groups. The JDL identifying that ‘prisoners who took part in the programme were less likely to reoffend than those who did not' is testament to the dedicated work by the Clink Charity in partnership with HMPPS."

The Clink Café is set to open in Manchester this month, focusing on training Clink graduates and homeless clients of the Centrepoint Charity to gain their accredited City and Guilds NVQ level 2 in food and beverage service as well as barista skills.

Also opening is the new central production kitchen at HMP Downview in Surrey in May, which will support Clink Events, the charity's external events catering service, also in conjuction with the Centrepoint Charity.

Clink Charity to open central production kitchen at HMP Downview >>

The Clink Charity to open Manchester café >>

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