Once a criminal has been convicted and sent to prison, most people would imagine the police to have finished their job.

But that is far from the case. For many years offender management teams have maintained links with members of the prison service, with probation staff, health services, specialist units for substance abuse and other agencies.

Such close co-operation has reaped benefits by focusing on offenders and giving them the support they need to reduce the risk of their reoffending once they have served their sentence.

But now there is a new dimension to the operation, with the creation of a groundbreaking initiative. Called the ‘prison hub’, it sees police officers working within prisons to help further strengthen liaison between the different bodies to benefit offenders once they are released.

“The police work inside the prison with West Yorkshire Prison Service and other agencies,” says the man at the helm, Inspector Kevin Pickles, who has been appointed to oversee the Shipley-based hub. Insp Pickles will be a familiar face to many people after spending four years as neighbourhood police inspector in Bradford city centre.

The hub links with the five integrated offender management units across the county in Bradford, Wakefield, Leeds, Kirklees and Calderdale.

The offender management units aim to reduce crime and prevent reoffending, tackle the social exclusion of offenders and their families, improve public confidence in the Criminal Justice System and strengthen partnership performance.

Partner agencies working inside prison include the probation service and substance misuse specialists. “The prisons have already got substance misuse teams and other specialist officers in place,” says Insp Pickles. “What we have not had before is a police team working within prisons.”

Five plainclothes officers – one sergeant and the others constables – are based at the category B Leeds Prison in Armley, and two at Wealstun, a category C jail in Wetherby.

The work of the new hub focuses particularly on people serving short-term sentences. “The probation service don’t work with people who are given a sentence of less than 12 months,” says Insp Pickles, “This involves a large number of people, and that is where the hub comes in.”

Prolific offending in crimes such as burglary come under the spotlight. “We want to make sure that when prisoners who have committed such crimes come back out into the community, their needs are met and the things that might trigger reoffending are dealt with. This can be addressed while they are in prison.”

Up to now there has not been a bespoke, multi-agency package to tackle this for shorter-term prisoners. “We work inside the prisons with the other agencies while the prisoner is serving their sentence, to put together such a package. This will help to reduce the risk of their reoffending.

“We speak to offenders and speak to partners and look at what sort of support is available. We can put a whole host of measures in place.” These can include help with accommodation or benefits or future training towards employment.

Most crime in a community is carried out by a small number of prolific offenders. The hub strengthens work to change offender behaviour by addressing issues that influence reoffending. Intensive programmes focusing on different issues can help to break the cycle, and in turn improve community safety and protect members of the public.

“Bradford district is leading, but the hub serves all West Yorkshire,” says Insp Pickles, “We hope it will lead to increased public confidence and satisfaction.”

A police presence inside prisons could also help create stronger links between officers and prisoners, gleaning information which could prove valuable in helping them once they have served their sentence. “Working in prisons not only strengthens our relationship with other agencies, but also with the prisoners,” says Insp Pickles. “It makes it easier to gain their confidence and trust.”

The integrated offender management units have strong links with young offender institutions, which could become an extension of the hub in future. “We have great links with the Youth Offending Team in Bradford, so we may look at working in this area,” says Insp Pickles.

The success of the hub will be monitored, with monthly updates on rates of reoffending following prison releases.

“It is a new approach, something different. It is early days, but we hope to see good results,” adds Insp Pickles.