Rising poverty will lead to increase in crime – but this should not lead to prison, research finds

The charity Revolving Doors, which released the new data on Wednesday (November 30), said “we can’t arrest our way out of poverty” when the root causes of low-level crime go unaddressed.

A survey of 2,000 adults conducted earlier this month on their attitudes towards various aspects of the criminal justice system found 76 per cent think that rising levels of poverty will lead to an increase in crime.

The majority (68 per cent) think that rather than sending those who commit poverty-related crimes to prison, it would be better to address this financial hardship.

The poll also found that 65 per cent believe the reason why most people commit non-violent, low-level crimes is due to poverty, mental health issues, and problems with drugs and alcohol.

Fifty-eight per cent said alternatives to prison should be found in these cases.

Revolving Doors said these findings coincide with predictions that living standards will drop by seven per cent as the cost-of-living crisis bites.

“This risks pushing even more people into poverty and therefore into contact with the criminal justice system – which the UK public do not believe should be punished with a prison sentence,” it added.

“Even though there is clear public opposition to criminalising people who are committing low-level, non-violent crimes because they have multiple unmet needs, and despite a tightening of the public purse strings in the Autumn Statement, the Government is still pushing ahead with a multi-billion pound plan to build 20,000 new prison places.

“Cheaper, more effective alternatives to prison exist – particularly for those who are serving short sentences.

“Community sentences cost, on average, just ten per cent of what it costs to imprison someone for a year and reoffending rates are significantly lower.”

The charity wants to see a total ‘Rethink & Reset’ of how criminal justice is approached in the UK, calling for a “tough on the causes of crime” stance rather than taking an entirely punitive approach to crime with a disproportionate reliance on prison.

“This is what the UK public want and what the public purse needs,” it said.

Pavan Dhaliwal, chief executive of Revolving Doors, commented: “As the cost-of-living crisis pushes more people into poverty and therefore into the revolving door of crisis and crime, we cannot continue to waste public money on short-term, ineffective solutions, as the root causes of low-level, non-violent crime go unaddressed.

“We can’t arrest our way out of poverty when people need access to treatment services and support.

“If we want to avoid immense harm, we need to rethink our entire approach to criminal justice. We agree with the UK public – we need to be tough on the causes of crime instead of imprisoning people who have no business being there in the first place.”

The Revolving Doors poll of UK adults was conducted by Opinium between November 4 and 8. It found:

• 71 per cent believe that the criminal justice system should give at least equal weight to rehabilitation and punishment;
• 61 per cent do not believe the Government is effective at punishing offenders;
• Fifty-eight per cent believe an alternative to prisons should be found when the person has committed a low-level crime. Only 25 per cent believe a prison sentence is appropriate in these cases:
• Three quarters (73 per cent) think the criminal justice system needs reform;
• Seventy-six per cent believe that rising levels of poverty is the cause behind a growing amount of crime in the UK;
• Sixty-eight per cent agree that rather than sending those who commit poverty-related crimes to prison, it would be better to address this financial hardship; and
• Sixty-five per cent believe that the reason why most people commit non-violent, low-level crimes such as theft and drug possession is due to poverty, mental ill-health, and addiction.

Revolving Doors said off the back of significant public support for criminal justice reform and 80 years on from the Beveridge report, which saw the birth of the UK’s social security system, it is “seeking to recapture the same spirit of ambition and innovation that led to this social revolution”.