PRISONERS could be more successfully rehabilitated on release by means of a simple conversation, according to new research by a British university.

Inmates on the brink of leaving prison have often “lost any sense of being connected to the outside world,” a study by Evangelos Mitrokostas of the University of Portsmouth revealed today.

Mr Mitrokostas said that a structured conversation in the days leading up to release could alter their attitude and sense of belonging.

He said: “For many prisoners, being incarcerated means losing more than physical freedom.

“It appears to also take a criminal’s sense of belonging to wider society, making it doubly difficult for them to join back in or even want to, once released.

“Our research looked at the rehabilitation and social behaviour of prisoners and found that inmates who were asked to reflect on their time in prison were significantly more likely to experience positive rehabilitation and social reintegration after their release.”

The study was conducted in two prisons, a low and a high-security facility in Chania, Greece.

Mr Mitrokostas said that a simple low-cost intervention based on encouraging prison inmates to reflect on their incarceration might be an effective tool to promote rehabilitation into society.