Businessman hopes laptops will aid life after prison

The chief executive of a technology firm says he hopes giving prisoners laptops will make them better prepared for life after release.

When inspectors visited HMP Peterborough in January, external they found understaffing, drug problems and a third of prisoners ending up homeless on release.

James Tweed, of Cambridge-based Coracle, said he wants to help prisoners upon release with digital literacy.

He said: "If you come out of prison set up to fail, the chances of reoffending are really really high."

The 10-day prison inspection found that a housing adviser failed to attend the prison for more than a year which meant 333 inmates were made homeless upon release.

Mr Tweed said his company worked with prisoners in the final three months of their sentences.

He warned that inmates released early often struggled.

"People are coming out more unprepared than ever before," said Mr Tweed. "It's not solving the problem, it’s a poor band aid over a bigger problem."