FORMER prisoners are falling back into lives of crime because of a lack of accommodation and support, a prisoner help group claims.

Family and Prisoner Support offers short-term accommodation and other services to people exiting correctional services in the Cairns region.

FAPS management committee vice-president Kevin Dobinson said prisoners often had nowhere to go after being released from correctional facilities.

Four rooms at FAPS were rented at a low rate to former prisoners to help get them back on their feet, he said.

Another 12 exiting offenders were waiting to move into the independently run facility and many more were asking for help.

More short-term accommodation was needed for former prisoners in Cairns to prevent them from reoffending, Mr Dobinson said.

"There needs to be more thought put into the accommodation side, somewhere that’s safe for the person so they don’t get dragged down to the pub or park," he said.

"You give someone a place where they can have a shower, where they can get clean, where they can have a meal and it’s amazing the transformation they can have.

"Basically they need some kind of halfway house facility."

Former resident Bryan Cavanagh said he had hit rock bottom before receiving help through FAPS.

"A place like this is a necessity. Unless you have help you have a great chance of failing," he said.

Retired District Court judge Peter White could not say whether there were inadequate facilities for offenders exiting custody in Cairns.

But he said there was "no doubt" that people reoffended if they were unemployed or lacked accommodation after leaving prison.

"If they simply walk out of jail with nowhere to stay they might not be equipped to handle life outside jail after being in jail for a number of years," he said.

"It’s desirable for the community and it’s desirable for prisoners being released that they don’t reoffend."

Queensland Corrective Services Minister Neil Roberts said transitional support and assistance was provided to prisoners exiting custody according to level of need, re-offending risk and length of sentence.

The Offender Reintegration Support Service, delivered by contracted non-government organisations, provided tailored support during the transition from custody into the community, he said.

QCS also had agreements with different government departments and the Commonwealth to provide housing and employment assistance to people leaving custody, Mr Roberts said.

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