Only a few days ago, I heard from a young woman whose house had been ransacked in the middle of the night by a burglar. She reported the crime to the police but still felt anxious in her home, fearful that it could happen again.
She contacted Victim Support and not only did we give her emotional support during this traumatic time, we also paid for her locks to be changed and her security system to be upgraded. It's made all the difference and is helping her to put the crime behind her and get on with her life.
This is the sort of help that will be funded by the new scheme brought in under the Prisoners' Earnings Act 1966 this week. According to Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke's proposal, prisoners will now pay some of the money they earn in jail to victims and society.
Victim Support wholeheartedly welcomes this move because it will be a direct way for the offender to repair the harm they have done.
A thought-provoking question is: what do victims of crime want most when it comes to offenders? We know, from our work with thousands of victims a day, they want effective punishment, a way for the offender to address the harm they have caused as well as effective rehabilitation so they don't go on to commit more crime.
And what does Victim Support want when it comes to victims of crime? We want victims to find the strength to move on with their lives. That is why we think it is a good idea that deductions will be made from the salaries of prisoners who earn higher wages and the money will be used to help victims in some way.
Victim Support will receive 40 percent of the deductions and will use the money to give real, practical support to victims and their communities.
Prison reformers have voiced concerns that this may discourage prisoners from working or mean that they cannot save. But we need to bear in mind that only 40 per cent of about 500 prisoners' salaries will go towards helping victims as offenders will need to earn a minimum amount to qualify for the scheme. This seems like a fair compromise - although we know many people might argue we should be going substantially further.
Getting prisoners working and developing workplace skills already helps them on the path to reform. But when part of their earnings goes towards helping victims of crime, it will also help them recognise and repair the harm they have caused, contributing to their rehabilitation.