Unlocking talent: Employment and reducing reoffending

Reoffending costs the UK taxpayer £15bn/year. With 6 in 10 employers automatically rejecting applicants with a criminal record, and the same proportion of ex-offenders unemployed one year after release, it is clear that they are facing an uphill battle to turn their lives around on release from prison.

The government holds responsibility for ensuring that offenders are as prepared as they can be on release, but the Ministry of Justice cannot do it all alone. Like all public services, HM Prison Service is facing fiscal pressures and is having to drive necessary efficiencies, which is limiting its ability to help the 47% of prisoners with no qualifications turn their lives around and find employment.

This is why employers who are going the extra mile – often without seeking publicity – to help offenders and ex-offenders gain qualifications and employment are so important and deserve to be praised. By offering training, qualifications, work experience, employment opportunities, work-readiness support, or just a supportive shoulder as offenders and ex-offenders begin to explore the world of employment, they really are changing lives. And not only this, but they have discovered along the way that there is a huge pool of talent and potential in our prisons, and with a little support ex-offenders can make the most loyal and hardworking employees they’ve ever had.

So it’s with great pleasure that we share some of these stories with you. We’ve got six case studies and a podcast series, each telling a different story of an employer’s journey working with offenders or ex-offenders. Whether you’ve considered getting involved but have hesitations, or you’ve never thought about it before, please take a look at these stories and think about the brilliant opportunities that can come from helping ex-offenders. There are resources below for more information on getting started.

Neil Carberry, CBI Director of People & Skills