Offender Rehabilitation Bill [HL] (HL Bill 2 of 2013–14)
The Offender Rehabilitation Bill would provide increased support and supervision upon release for those serving prison sentences of up to two years, and would make changes to the arrangements for community orders and suspended sentence orders. This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords.
The Offender Rehabilitation Bill was announced in the 2013 Queen’s Speech, received its first reading on 9 May 2013 and is due to receive its second reading on 20 May 2013. The Bill makes provision to increase support and supervision upon release for those serving a sentence of less than two years and would make a number of changes to the arrangements for community orders and suspended sentence orders. The Bill also expands the potential use of post-release conditions to combat drug misuse. With the Bill forming part of the Government’s Transforming Rehabilitation strategy, this Note contains reaction to the Government’s proposals as a whole, and then provides background to the provisions contained in the Bill.