advice for someone just out of jail

mealone

Sixer wrote: »

Oh, just stop and think about it for a minute, Dave.

Prison has three functions (some people weigh one or other of them more than the others, but it's still three):

Punishment
Rehabilitation
Public Safety

Punishment: once sentence has been served, a prisoner's punishment is over. So they should be entitled to the same welfare benefits anyone else is entitled to. Saying they shouldn't be is like making a child sit on the naughty step for the rest of its life!

Rehabilitation: any rehabilitation done during the prisoner's sentence will be completely undone if they come out and find they're homeless and potless and all safety nets are taken away because they're an ex-con.

Public safety: well, the public is a lot less safe if a homeless, potless ex-con has no means of sustenance other than crime.

You can't come out of prison, get yourself a job and a paypacket BEFORE you have to find somewhere to live and feed yourself.

If they served the whole sentance punsihment may be seen to be done but they dont so they can never be punished for the crime they commited ergo they never pay the price for the crimes that they commit.

I have never commited a crime but I have been a victim of some crimes and the victims always come off worse, there is no one to help victims to claim benefits and victim support can't even see every crime victim because there is not enough funding avaialble for that but the purpetrators of crime get so much help when they have served half (at most!) of their sentance.

chesky369

What are community care grants

1

Community care grants are discretionary payments which can be made from the social fund. They are intended to promote community care by helping clients to move out of, or stay out of, institutional or residential care, to help families ease exceptional pressure, to help with the care of prisoners and young offenders on home leave and to assist with certain travelling expenses. If a payment is made, it does not need to be repaid.
[IMG]file:///C:/Program%20Files/england/ARROW.GIF[/IMG] More about the [URL="file:///C:/Program%20Files/england/INDEX/CATEGORI/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/09040800.HTM"]social fund[/URL]

URL="file:///C:/Program%20Files/england/INDEX/CATEGORI/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/09040830.HTM#contenttop"][COLOR=#0066cc]top of page[/COLOR][/URL
Who can apply for a community care grant

2

A community care grant can only be awarded to a client if ([URL="file:///C:/Program%20Files/england/INDEX/CATEGORI/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/09040830.HTM#endnote001"]endnote 1[/URL]):-

• s/he is in receipt of income support, pension credit, income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA) or, from 27 October 2008, income-related employment and support allowance ESA), or is receiving interim payments of any of these benefits, on the date the application is made. Being in receipt of does not include the partner or a family member of the claimant. If a client is a member of a couple who has to make a joint claim for income-based JSA, only the partner who is being paid income-based JSA is eligible to apply for a community care grant
  
  [IMG]file:///C:/Program%20Files/england/ARROW.GIF[/IMG] More about [URL="file:///C:/Program%20Files/england/INDEX/CATEGORI/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/CATEGORY/09060015.HTM"]joint claims for income-based JSA[/URL]; or
• s/he will be leaving institutional or residential care within six weeks and is likely to receive income support, pension credit, income-based JSA or income-related ESA when s/he leaves.

I don't know whether it counts if you've applied for JSA or whether you have to be actually receiving it already - anyway, he should apply for this as soon as possible.

dmna

If the fella involved was convicted he may be able to get a CCG for some basic items of clothing but that's likely to be all - as he's already bought the basics anymore is unlikely.

A crisis loan for living expenses may be forthcoming, the lines are actually open 0800 to 1800, although applications after 1500 are unlikely to receive payment the same day. Payments are discretionary and are only likely to be made out for basic living expenses such as meals in the short term until benefit is paid. Customer recently released from prison are fairly regular applicants to the crisis loans service so the any officer handling the call will be used to it. Service is only available if there are no other options and any money paid will be deducted from benefit on an interest free basis.

Good luck!