"Lack of employment is one of the factors associated with re-offending. There is a strong correlation between offending, poor literacy, language and numeracy skills and low achievement and truancy at school. Many offenders have very poor experience of education and no experience of stable employment."

Music in Prisons addresses this pathway by:

• Building self-confidence and self-worth
• Encouraging a desire to participate in other educational activities
• Providing a positive experience of working in a group environment
• Improving basic skills such as team working and communication
• Offering ‘through-the-gate’ opportunities to ex-offenders following their release from prison – either directly with Music in Prisons or through similar affiliated organisations (e.g. The Guildhall School of Music and Drama)

"Children and families can play a significant role in supporting an offender to make and sustain changes which reduce re-offending. Many offenders’ relationships are broken or fragmented as a result of their offending and their families are left bewildered and unsupported, increasing the likelihood of intergenerational offending, mental health and financial problems."

Music in Prisons addresses this pathway by:

• Providing a means of communication between offenders and their families through music.
• Enabling families to see the performances and hear the CDs created.
• Allowing offenders to show their families that they can still create something positive and beautiful.
• Delivering specific projects aimed at building family relationships such as the songbook projects.

There is a considerable international evidence-base on the effectiveness of cognitive skills programmes for offenders. NOMS now runs forty different independently-accredited programmes for offenders and is continuing to develop new programmes where required."

Music in Prisons addresses this pathway by:

• Showing offenders that they have something positive to contribute to society.
• Showing offenders that they are respected and valued as individuals. Encouraging team-working and shared contribution.