Plans for a dedicated “outworkers” facility designed to help prisoners transition back into society by providing work opportunities before their release have been scrapped.
The response to a request made under the Freedom of Information Law confirmed that the proposed pre-release facility, which had formed part of an eight-phase prison redevelopment plan, will no longer go ahead.
It stated that the “originally proposed new purpose-built pre-release facility”, first proposed in 2019, “has been cancelled”.
The outworkers facility would have seen prisoners nearing the end of their sentences work in a public-facing coffee shop to meet prospective employers and prepare for employment after release.
But following queries from Express, a spokesperson for the States of Jersey Prison Service said the project had not progressed following a change in priorities.
“The proposed pre-release facility at SoJPS La Moye was not taken forward as part of subsequent redevelopment priorities,” the spokesperson said.
“The service is successfully delivered from within the prison following a strategic shift towards supporting rehabilitation and resettlement through alternative in-custody and partnership-based approaches.”
The revelation comes just months after concerns were raised about rehabilitation, education and training opportunities available to inmates at the island’s only prison.
An independent report published earlier this year highlighted a sharp decline in education provision at HMP La Moye, with prisoners facing long waits for courses, cancellations and reduced opportunities to gain skills and qualifications.
The Independent Prison Monitoring Board said staffing shortages and financial pressures had led to the suspension of a number of activities, while some prisoners reported that limited course availability was “frustrating and demotivating”.
The States of Jersey Prison Service’s latest annual report also pointed to growing pressures on the prison, including rising inmate numbers, financial constraints and limited facilities.
The report showed the average daily prison population rose to 175 in 2025, up 13% on the previous year, while the prison operated at up to 92% capacity during peak periods.
At the same time, prisoner employment rates fell – with the service acknowledging that staffing shortages and financial pressures had affected education and vocational training provision.
Despite the cancellation of the dedicated pre-release facility, the Prison Service said rehabilitation and resettlement support continues to be delivered from within the prison and through partnership-based approaches.