Nacro responds to new data on the rising costs of prisons in England and Wales

Today (03.04.25) the Ministry of Justice has published new data on the rising cost of prisons in England and Wales.

Responding to the data release Campbell Robb, CEO of Nacro, said:

“Today’s announcement from the Ministry of Justice that the cost of sending someone to prison for a year is now £53,801, an increase of 5.3% in one year, highlighting the sharp economic cost of our country’s obsession with imprisonment. Our prison population stands at nearly 90,000, one of the highest rates of imprisonment in Western Europe. 

Not only is prison expensive, but short prison sentences have been proven to be less effective at reducing reoffending than community sentences. Community sentences cost significantly less than prison and don’t have such a damaging effect on all the things proven to reduce reoffending.  This is a huge waste of both human potential and scarce public resources.  

To reduce future victims and build safer communities, we need to follow the evidence of what works to reduce crime and reoffending. And with resources tight and a difficult economic climate, money spent on the justice system must deliver results. We need to see more investments in good community sentences instead of costly short prison sentences, funding for cost-effective crime prevention, and a prison system focused on rehabilitation.”