Ending the Cycle: Inside Out’s Fight to Reduce Reoffending

Inside Out: Transforming Lives, Reducing Reoffending

Every year, around 45,000 people return to the community from prisons in England and Wales — many stepping out with hope, but into the same barriers they faced before: unemployment, stigma, and isolation. It’s no surprise that more than one in three people released from custody reoffend within 12 months.

This cycle hurts people, families, communities — and costs the country billions. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Inside Out exists to break that cycle — by proving what happens when you invest in people’s potential, rather than their past.

The Challenge: Reoffending in the UK

Reoffending remains one of the UK’s biggest social and economic challenges. The statistics are stark:

• 39.3% of adults reoffend within one year

• 56.9% of those with sentences under 12 months reoffend

• 75% reoffend within nine years

• It costs an average of £53,801 to keep one person in prison for a year

And yet, we know what works. Employment alone reduces reoffending by 39%, but only 8% of people leaving prison secure a job on release.

That gap between potential and opportunity is where Inside Out steps in.

A Creative Solution to a Social Problem

Inside Out is more than a project — it’s a movement. Through fashion, design, and entrepreneurship, we empower people leaving prison to rebuild their lives with dignity, creativity, and confidence.

We provide:

• Skills training in fashion, design & business

• Real-world employment experience

• CV, job application & interview support

• Coaching and life-skills development

• A strong community and peer network

• Program delivery and inspiration inside multiple UK prisons

Our work is rooted in belief — that creativity can change futures, and that people thrive when given the chance to learn, contribute, and be seen for who they can become.

Impact That Changes Lives — and Society

Inside Out’s model works — and the proof is in the results:

• 97% of our participants do not return to prison

• We save the UK an estimated £1.5 million each year through reduced reoffending

Beyond the statistics, there are powerful personal journeys. Our graduates have gone on to become:

• University students

• Independent fashion founders

• Mentors and charity leaders

• Public speakers

• Chefs and hospitality professionals

• Designers within the Inside Out team

Inside Out proves what’s possible when society chooses second chances over second sentences.

Be Part of the Change

Thousands of people leave prison every year ready to rebuild their lives — but lacking the opportunity to do so. With greater support, Inside Out can expand to more prisons and transform even more futures.

You can help:

• Partner to create employment pathways

• Mentor participants

• Sponsor programmes

• Share and support the message

Together, we can build a society where potential isn’t wasted — and where leaving prison truly means a chance to start again.