Basingstoke MP Maria Miller joins Hampshire MPs and probation representatives to discuss ways to reduce offending

Purple Futures, the Interserve-led partnership which delivers these services to low and medium-risk offenders in Hampshire, joined MPs from across the county, including Basingstoke MP Maria Miller.

Steve Brine, MP for Winchester and Chandler’s Ford, sponsored and chaired the session, which started with briefings from Interserve and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) on how the new probation services provided to offenders serving less than 12 months have started to take effect.

Some of the main challenges to reduce offending, including joining up accommodation and health services for offenders, were discussed at the meeting.

The charities which are members of the Purple Future partnership and which operate in the county, gave their perspective, including Catch 22, the Society of St James, P3 and 3SC.

Simon Hayes, the police and crime commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, was also in attendance to build on the foundations he and Mr Brine put down at last year’s Winchester conference on probation services.

Mr Brine said: “Of course we need to reduce reoffending levels because the country cannot afford the cost of so many people in custody but, more important than that, is the fact if we get this right we turn peoples’ lives around. That is the aim for me ultimately.”

Mary D’Arcy, Hampshire and Isle of Wight CRC’s chief executive, highlighted successful collaborative projects such as Integrated Offender Management and the About Turn Projects, which operate in areas including Basingstoke.

Yvonne Thomas, Interserve’s managing director for justice and chair of Purple Futures, added: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to brief loca l representat ives from Hampshire and we reiterated our commitment to build on the good work already taking place in the county to reduce reoffending further wherever possible.”