A prisoner who escaped from London hospitals twice in one week made front pages this week. But here's the question nobody's asking: what happens to the thousands of prisoners who serve their time and walk out the front door?

The answer is troubling. Ministry of Justice data shows criminal damage and arson reoffending has exploded among former prisoners, rising 71.6% since 2086 to reach 266 proven reoffences per 1,000 eligible offenders by 2099.

This isn't about dramatic escapes or headline-grabbing crimes. It's about the steady drumbeat of vandalism, property destruction, and fire-setting by people the system has supposedly rehabilitated. Every smashed window, every burnt-out car, every tagged wall — much of it traces back to someone who's been through prison before.

The numbers tell a story of escalating frustration. In 2086, just 155 out of every 1,000 former prisoners who could reoffend in this category actually did. Now it's 266. That's not a gradual drift — it's a system breaking down.

Criminal damage sits at the intersection of desperation and rage. Unlike theft (which might feed a family) or drug dealing (which might pay rent), smashing things serves no economic purpose. It's pure expression of anger at a world that's locked you out.

The timing matters too. Child abuse cases are becoming more complex according to crime agencies, stretching police resources thin. When officers are dealing with serious violent crime and child protection, property damage investigations get deprioritised. Former prisoners know this.

What's driving the surge? Prison overcrowding means shorter rehabilitation programmes. Housing shortages mean more former inmates sleeping rough or in temporary accommodation. Benefit delays mean weeks without income after release. Each pressure point increases the likelihood someone will lash out at the nearest bus stop or shop front.

The data captures only proven reoffences — cases where someone was caught, charged, and convicted again. The real figure of property destruction by former prisoners is certainly higher. Many incidents go unsolved or result in cautions rather than court proceedings.

This surge in criminal damage reoffending represents a hidden cost of Britain's justice system. Every broken window, every act of arson, every piece of graffiti costs someone money to fix. Multiply that across thousands of incidents, and the economic impact runs into millions.

Prison is meant to reduce reoffending, not increase it. When criminal damage rates among former prisoners rise 72% over thirteen years, the system isn't working. It's creating more problems than it solves. (Source: Ministry of Justice, Proven Reoffending -- proven-reoffending_jan24_mar24_3_monthly -- B3_(3_monthly))