Fewer people returning to prison

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) says more people are staying out of prison after they are released.

Data released by the DCS indicate that in 2025, some 575 people went to prison. Out of that number, 153 were people who had been there before. This means about 27 out of every 100 people returned. This is better than before. In 2024, the number of people who returned as inmates was 162. The figure was 194 people in 2023. Back in 2016, as many as 384 people went back to prison.

Even though the numbers change a little each year, fewer people are returning to prison overall. The DCS said this is happening because of the help it gives to inmates. These programmes teach people how to make better choices and live better lives. Inmates can learn in school, get job skills, talk to counsellors, and get guidance to help them when they leave prison.

Commissioner of Corrections, Brigadier (Ret'd) Radgh Mason, said the figures affirm the importance of sustained investment in rehabilitation.

"The decline in offender readmissions is an encouraging indicator that our rehabilitation efforts are having an impact," he said.

Mason said each reduced readmission reflects the potential for transformed lives, stronger families, and safer communities.

"While recidivism remains a complex challenge, these figures reinforce the importance of continued investment in meaningful rehabilitation and reintegration programmes," he said.