Charity closure is step backward for crime prevention, warns bishop

Crime in mid Wales could escalate if a charity devoted to preventing offences and supporting offenders is forced to close, a bishop has warned.

The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, the Rt Rev John Davies, fears Monday’s announcement that Powys Challenge will have to close in a month’s time unless it can find £40,000, will condemn a new generation to a life of crime from which they will find it hard to escape.

The bishop, who is a patron of Powys Challenge, said, “Supporting and guiding the wayward rather than putting them on the scrapheap of society is thoroughly Christian and benefits not only offenders but also society as a whole.”

Powys Challenge has provided mentoring, literacy, numeracy and other services for those at risk of offending and reoffending for the past 15 years. It has 100 trained community volunteers and is a recipient of the Queen’s Award for Unsung Heroes for its work in contributing to reducing crime in Powys. It works closely with the Youth Offending Service and the Probation Service.

The announcement of its closure came at the same time as criticism of the government for failing to carry out its election pledge to tackle the causes of offending behaviour. Professor Irwin Waller, of Ottowa University, an expert on crime reduction said UK spending and policy had focussed on enforcement and neglected crime prevention measures.

Bishop Davies, a former criminal lawyer who retains a deep concern for the care and rehabilitation of offenders, said, “If Powys Challenge had to close it would be a huge step backwards for crime prevention in mid Wales and, in terms of the support and guidance which it offers to those who have offended, closure would create a gap which others services may not be able to fill.

"This will mean that more and more youngsters will not be helped to break the cycle of offending and reoffending. They will not get the vital support they need when they need it. Ultimately there is a real risk that, crime and the perception of crime will rise, and this has implications for us all.”

Last month, Children’s Commissioner of Wales, Keith Towler, warned vital services for vulnerable children all over Wales were facing closure due to cuts in public funding. He told a meeting of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales that preventative work would be hit first.

He said, “The voluntary and community sector is talking to me about closure and that worries me greatly. It will be the preventative work which will go first – work that prevents young people ending up sleeping on the streets, offending or put in mental wards. And that will put pressure on all services further down the line.”