The Church of England's bishop for prisons, the Right Rev Rachel Treweek, has called for a stronger focus on rehabilitation for inmates following recent unrest across the UK.

In an interview with BBC Gloucestershire, BishopTreweek, who serves as the Bishop of Gloucester, highlighted the high cost of incarceration, stating: "Those people who have rioted and caused damage on our streets, we as taxpayers contribute £50,000 per person per year to put them in prison.

"If at the end of that there is no transformation and change then what do we think we are doing?

"Within a year of release, around 50% of prisoners are re-offending - what we're doing is not working."

Hundreds of individuals have been jailed for their involvement in the recent disorder, where protesters targeted mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers.

The longest sentence so far has been three years and three months.

The unrest followed the tragic killings of three young girls at a dance workshop in Southport, sparking violence in various parts of England, including Bristol.

During the interview, Bishop Treweek emphasised that prisons should not be purely punitive. "The loss of liberty is the punishment," she said. "Prison should be a place where underlying issues are addressed through rehabilitation, enabling individuals to contribute positively to society upon their release."

She also noted that many prisoners have faced significant trauma, including disrupted education, negative experiences in the care system, and unstable relationships. "The stigma of being an ex-offender often leads to difficulties in finding employment, pushing many back into reoffending" she added.

Bishop Treweek went on to criticise the overcrowded conditions in prisons, which hinder effective rehabilitation. She argued that the public belief in long prison sentences making streets safer is not supported by evidence.