The Welsh Affairs Select Committee has published its report, Jagged Justice: Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation in Wales. While many of its findings will be familiar to those working in the justice sector, the report provides an important opportunity to reflect on the future of justice in Wales and the changes needed to create better outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
Like its counterpart in England, the Welsh justice system is under significant strain. Prisons are overcrowded, probation services face considerable pressures and resources remain stretched. These challenges are further complicated by the unique constitutional position of Wales, where justice remains reserved to Westminster despite many of the services that support rehabilitation – including health, housing and education – being devolved. According to Senedd research, Wales has the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe, despite crime rates that do not reflect such high levels of incarceration. This should prompt serious questions about whether our current approach is delivering the outcomes we want to see.
We welcomed the opportunity to provide both oral and written evidence to the Committee’s inquiry. Since 2012, St Giles Cymru has delivered rehabilitation services in prisons and communities across Wales. Through our work, and by listening to the people we support, we have learned that lasting rehabilitation is rarely achieved through punishment alone. The solutions to offending behaviour are often found beyond the prison gate.
There is growing recognition across the sector that prison should be reserved for the most serious offences, with greater use of effective community-based alternatives. Too often, we see people caught in a cycle of disadvantage, offending and imprisonment. Many are living with trauma, poor mental health, substance misuse, homelessness, domestic abuse or social isolation. Repeatedly moving people through an overstretched justice system without addressing these underlying issues is costly, ineffective and ultimately fails both individuals and society.
At St Giles, we work with people, not just problems. While practical support around housing, training and employment is essential, it is rarely enough on its own. Sustainable change depends on understanding the whole person and recognising how different challenges intersect. This requires a relational and trauma-informed approach that prioritises trust, consistency and genuine human connection.
Across Wales, our teams combine professional expertise with lived experience to build authentic relationships with those we support. We help people strengthen support networks, reconnect with their communities and develop the confidence and resilience needed to move forward. These trusted relationships are often the foundation upon which lasting change is built.
We also know that timing matters. There are key moments when people are most likely to engage with support and make positive changes in their lives. Being arrested, receiving a community sentence or leaving prison can all represent critical opportunities for intervention. Support must be available when people are ready to access it. In some of our Personal Wellbeing services, every client received a comprehensive initial assessment within ten days of referral, ensuring that support was delivered at the point of greatest need and laying the foundations for longer-term progress.
The Committee’s report reinforces what many organisations across Wales have long understood: a justice system focused solely on punishment will struggle to reduce reoffending or improve public safety. If we are serious about breaking cycles of offending, we must invest in approaches that address the root causes of crime. That means expanding community-based alternatives, embedding trauma-informed practice across the justice system and ensuring that people can access timely, relationship-based support when they need it most. It also means services need to be commissioned by people who understand the unique delivery landscape in Wales. Rehabilitation happens through people, communities and opportunities. The future of justice in Wales should be built around all three.