WINCHESTER Prison is set to become a ‘resettlement prison’ to try to do more to rehabilitate prisoners before their release.

The change which will involve 70 jails nationwide was unveiled by the Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.

More emphasis will be placed on deterring inmates from crime even those serving short sentences in local prisons such as Winchester.

The Government wants every offender released from custody to receive statutory supervision.

Mr Grayling said last night: ''Rehabilitation in the community must begin behind the prison walls and follow offenders out through the gates if we are to stand a chance of freeing them from a life of crime.

“This approach is a significant step forwards in our reforms to tackle reoffending and lays the groundwork for building a genuine nationwide network of 'through the gate' supervision and support for all offenders.”

The new governor of Winchester, David Rogers, speaking in March after his appointment following a damning inspection report, said he wanted to see more rehabilitation work.

“If we are going to reduce offending we have to start working differently to create more of a business environment, focussing on the key issues, the offenders.”

The Offender Rehabilitation Bill currently before Parliament will extend statutory supervision to 50,000 short-sentenced offenders each year, who will serve their time in custody in a resettlement prison and come out to a tailored package of supervision and support.

Inmates serving longer sentences will be moved to a resettlement prison at least three months before the end of their sentence.

Mr Rogers and the Prison Officers Association branch at Winchester were unavailable for comment.

Paul McDowell, chief executive of crime reduction charity Nacro, said: ''We are still sending too many people to prison when they could be better dealt with in the community - especially many of those serving short prison sentences. But putting communities at the heart of the criminal justice system through the development of resettlement prisons is a step in the right direction.”