Simon

When Simon was released from YOI he was fully aware of the importance of keeping out of trouble and staying out of trouble. He describes the situation as follows.

“In the first few weeks after release I didn’t really do much – just getting re-established with myself. The first two weeks is the test. It’s crucial and it proves whether someone is going to re-offend or not. I just kept to myself and kept out of trouble.”

Simon had spent over two years in custody and so had a lot of anxieties about coming out. There were lots of appointments for him to keep. In the initial couple of days, Simon didn’t want to leave his home at all. His YOT worker came to see him instead. After spending two years locked up, Simon said that the outside world was like another planet for him.

After having spent such a long time living in the YOI, Simon had to get used to looking after himself: budgeting, cooking, and cleaning. It was a massive readjustment for him, but the resettlement workers helped him with this.

Tagged with the theme: Transition to community