Why is the MoJ making life so hard for prison charities?

For 15 years The Clink charity has run commercial restaurants in prisons, training inmates to cook and teaching them front-of-house service. It is a vital way of giving offenders a second chance. But many of its operations have been forced to close due to the folly of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

At Styal women’s prison in Wilmslow, Cheshire, The Clink restaurant, which has been running for ten years, cannot continue to operate. Despite plenty of interest from inmates, recent changes to the eligibility criteria have drastically reduced the number of women permitted to work there. ‘Sometimes we are trying to run it with five, possibly only three, women,’ explains the manager. ‘It’s just not possible.’

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The first Clink restaurant opened in HMP High Down in 2009, founded by a charismatic chef called Al Crisci. Since then, the charity has had restaurants in three other prisons – Cardiff, Brixton and Styal – staffed mainly by inmates and open to the public. It also runs horticulture projects at HMP Send and Erlestoke, some kitchen training, a catering arm employing ex-offenders and an events business training women at HMP Downview, which serves London venues such as the Guildhall, the Cutty Sark and the Science Museum. A thriving commercial bakery in Brixton sells goods to the public, although for some daft reason it is not allowed to supply the prison.

I highlight The Clink because it is an excellent example of the vital role charities play in prison rehabilitation. One might think that prisons would do everything they could to stop inmates reoffending. And that, to this end, the government would insist that prisons were education centres so those who arrive barely able to read would leave qualified to get a job and stay out of prison.