Featured research
Homelessness and recidivism: examining the impacts of a right to settled accommodation
Research overview
Housing research continues to highlight significant concerns about the relationship between offending and homelessness. However, there is a paucity of evidence to demonstrate a causal relationship between Local Authority housing assistance after leaving prison, and any reduction in recidivism. This creates a significant barrier to the future development of informed and appropriate national policies in the area of housing and criminal justice.
Benefits
This study will provide an evidence base for government to modify housing support for prison leavers, which will best help reduce reconviction/offence.
More information about the project
Given the uncertainty surrounding housing assistance provided to prison leavers, this study will provide an evidence base upon which to modify provision post-release, which will best help reduce reconviction/offence. Furthermore, the outcomes of this project may help Scottish Government and organisations working with prison leavers to improve housing support for this vulnerable group.
Within Wales and England, no centralised collections of homelessness case data exist and this poses a significant barrier to research, both government and academic, seeking to analyse homelessness on anything other than an aggregated level. Methodologically this study will therefore demonstrate the utility and need to centrally collect individual case level data regarding homelessness.
Government departments
Scottish Government
Date approved
August 2016
Lead researcher
Dr. Peter Mackie, School of Planning and Geography, Cardiff University
Ian Thomas, ADRC-Wales