Stewart Dickson MLA said: “Reforming our prisons and reducing re-offending will help to build a safer community for all of us. However, to do so will require genuine partnership between the statutory, voluntary and community organisations.
“The Minister has set about building stronger working relationships to tackle difficult issues, such as helping prisoners to come off drugs and working with them to improve their chances of finding jobs after their release. It is great to see a whole range of organisations coming together to help the Prison Service deliver on this agenda.
“There is now a sense of real ambition and drive to reform our prisons and to reduce re-offending.”
ENDS