Northamptonshire charities asked to help prisoners freed to sleep rough

Probation officers in Northamptonshire have been writing to charities asking them to provide tents and sleeping bags to prisoners released from jail with no accommodation

Probation officers have been writing to homelessness charities asking for tents and sleeping bags for prisoners released from jail on to the streets.

The BBC has seen emails sent from workers asking for help as people have "nowhere to go".

One rough sleeper said: "Everyone says they believe in rehab, but in reality I feel they don't think I can change."

West Northamptonshire Council said it had housed 21 prisoners on the day of their release since November 2020.

One email says a woman was sleeping rough after being released from prison and needed a tent and sleeping bag until she found housing.

West Northamptonshire Council said it has housed 21 prisoners on the day of their release

Another asked if one charity could help a "person on probation" who was due to be released from custody "as homeless".

It said several inquires had been made to support the former prisoner into accommodation, but that he had "nowhere to go at release".

The rough sleeper, who did not want to be named, said he had ended up on the streets after being released from prison with no accommodation.

He said: "You just feel vulnerable, and it is so cold.

"My finger nails went purple."

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The BBC approached Stan Robertson, who runs rough sleeper charity Project 16:15 in Northampton, but he said he would not comment on the contents of private emails.

He did say the charity had dealt with at least six rough sleepers who had been released on to the streets straight out of prison in the last year.

He said: "We are committed to ensuring anyone on our streets has the necessary means to keep warm, dry and fed."

The council, which is responsible for housing and homelessness in the town, said since October 2018, prison and probation staff have had a duty to refer those at risk of rough sleeping to them.

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It said it has a dedicated probation liaison officer to deal with such cases prior to prison release and "identify suitable housing solutions".

The authority works with Keystage Housing to help rough sleepers into a 27-bedroom assessment hub as part of the town's Homeless Assessment Rapid Resettlement Pathway (HARRP) scheme, launched in November 2020.

It said Keystage had housed 21 prisoners into HARRP on the day of their release since its launch.

Cabinet member for housing, Adam Brown, said those leaving prison "are at increased risk of ending up rough sleeping, which can then lead to further offending.

"With the Government's support, we're trying to break this cycle and give ex-offenders a greater chance of improving their lives."