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Introduction
A third of businesses state that they are unable to address skills gaps in their workforce, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Thinking outside the box about recruitment and exploring new talent pools can help overcome such challenges.
If your organisation is interested in hiring prisoners or ex-offenders register here.
Employability Innovation Fund
The Prisons Strategy White Paper committed to establishing the Employability Innovation Fund. The fund will enable prison governors to work with more employers and training providers to repurpose workshops and deliver sector-specific skills training. This in turn will meet the changing needs of the economy and smooth the path from prison to employment.
Having a job on release helps to support people leaving prison rebuild their lives, reducing reoffending and preventing future victims of crime. Businesses working with either programme will be able to train prison-leavers to fill skills gaps in their business or sector in a sustainable way.
| HMP Academies | Future Skills Programme | |
|---|---|---|
| Brief description | Investing in fixed prison training spaces that will be hosted and branded by employers for prisoners to learn ‘on the job training’ linked to job opportunities on release | Deliver short sector-specific training courses linked to job commitments on release |
| Business audience | Employers wanting to recruit | Organisations, including employers, that have links to job commitments |
| How many prisons? | Approximately 17 prisons across England & Wales | Approximately 30 prisons across England and Wales |
| Target cohort | Flexible | Prisoners in the last 6 months of their sentence who are job ready |
| Course length | Flexible | Between 2 to12 weeks |
| What does success look like? | Minimum of a guaranteed job interview for a genuine vacancy. Improving employment outcomes for prison leavers | Minimum of a guaranteed job interview for a genuine vacancy. Improving employment outcomes for prison leavers |
Future Skills Programme
The Future Skills Programme will work with employers and training providers to deliver training to prison leavers as they are approaching release. Those businesses taking part in the programme will offer a minimum of a guaranteed interview, and ideally a job commitment, to those that complete the course.
Businesses including employers, training providers, and consortiums of both will design sector-specific skills courses to give participants the expertise they need to join and add value to organisations.
If you want more information about the Future Skills Programme then please:
Email us at futureskillsprogramme@justice.gov.uk.
Watch the below video to see more about the Future Skills Programme.
HMP Academies
HMP Academies are spaces in prisons, hosted by employers, who train people for employment on release. Timpson is one example of a well-established HMP Academy, which mimics their high street stores in a prison setting and helps prisoners to be trained in the services they provide.
Timpson have an impressive prison leaver retention rate and pride in their success is core to their corporate culture.
If you want more information please email us at CCMD-PrisonEducationService-Programme@justice.gov.uk.
New Futures Network
The New Futures Network (NFN) is a specialist part of the prison service that brokers partnerships between prisons and employers. They will help you to identify the best option for your organisation and put you in touch with similar businesses who are already working with the prison service.
There are a range of ways to get involved:
Opportunites for serving prisoners
Employers can set up training and production facilities in a dedicated space within the prison estate. Workshops run by external organisations benefit from a dedicated workforce made up of serving prisoners. NFN will work with you to find out what will suit your business needs. This also helps prisoners gain valuable skills and qualifications which will increase their likelihood of securing employment after release.
Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL)
Release on Temporary Licence, or ROTL, is a scheme which allows risk-assessed prisoners who are within two years of release to work while on day release from prison. This can be for a full working week or part-time. It allows you to offer training and work experience to a serving prisoner while you assess if they are right for your business, before possibly offering them a job on their release.
Employment on release
Upon release, individuals can work and have full employee rights. The New Futures Network can help you arrange interviews with prospective candidates before they are released, so you can choose the best person for your business.
Over 400 businesses and government departments are providing employment opportunities to serving prisoners within industries workshops, ROTL placements and employment of prison leavers.
Reasons to work with prisoners and ex-offenders
Working with prisoners and ex-offenders has a whole range of benefits, including:
Reducing initial recruitment and job advertising costs
The CIPD has calculated that filling the average non-managerial vacancy costs around £2,000. Opening recruitment up to prisoners and ex-offenders can help reduce overheads such as advertising as prisons can offer interview access to candidates. The time and cost of recruiting can be overcome by tapping into this readily available talent pool.
Diversity, inclusion and social responsibility
Over two fifths of employers say hiring ex-offenders has increased the diversity of their employees. It has also been a factor in helping businesses to become more socially responsible. Actively hiring former prisoners is proven to reduce reoffending. Most offenders want the opportunity to turn their backs on crime and having a job helps them get their lives back on track.
Resolving skills shortages
A third of organisations state that they are unable to address skills gaps, which is likely to have a knock-on impact on productivity and performance. Many prisons teach a variety of industry level skills, with prisoners achieving professional qualifications. Employers can tap into this talent pool to resolve skills shortages, as well as helping prisoners and ex-offenders get their lives back on track.
Reducing staff absence
The biggest concern of employers around hiring ex-offenders is a worry that they may not be trustworthy. However, over 80% of employers of ex-offenders have positively rated their reliability, motivation, attendance and performance.
Increasing staff retention
Evidence from employers such as Marks & Spencer shows that ex-offenders place a higher value on having a job because of a desire to stay out of prison. This often means ex-offenders have higher levels of loyalty and retention, which keeps institutional knowledge within your business.
Only 17% of ex-offenders manage to get a job within a year of release
3 out of 4 people would be comfortable buying from a business that employs ex-offenders
Ex-offenders who get a job after prison are up to 9 percentage points less likely to reoffend
81% of people think that businesses employing ex-offenders are making a positive contribution to society
86% of employers of ex-offenders rate them as good at their job
92% of employers say diverse recruitment has enhanced their reputation, helping them win new contracts
If you think your business could benefit from hiring a prisoner or ex-offender, register your interest.
Hear from businesses already working with prisoners and ex-offenders
Do ex-offenders have any qualifications or the skills needed to work?
The guys on-site, they are just like everybody else that we come across as an employer. We find they come with a variety of skills and we ensure they are then given the correct training so they can go to work and join in with the team.
Claire Coombs, Development Manager, Keltbray
Will they turn up for work if I take a chance on them?
We have found that the level of retention of our graduates from the [prison] academy is higher than the level of retention of our normal employed sales floor workers.
Andy McBride, Head of Resourcing and People Shared Services, Halfords
Can I really rely on offenders to be part of my workforce?
Pret has been working with both Working Chance and Novus for several years to take ex-offenders on to our Rising Stars Programme. We see this as an excellent talent pool with many Rising Stars enjoying a great career within Pret.
Nicki Fisher, Head of the Pret Foundation Trust, Pret A Manger
Why should businesses employ ex-offenders?
We’ve started working with ex-offenders and people coming towards the end of their sentence because it allows us to secure a pipeline of talent coming into our business, at the same time as helping people start again as they leave prison. In the hospitality industry there is a nationwide shortage of kitchen staff – kitchen managers and chefs particularly – that we at Greene King are not immune to.
Greg Sage, Spokesperson, Greene King
Ex-offender Leigh
I was on the Halfords academy at HMP Drakehall and learnt how to repair a bike, give great customer service. I also learnt planning and resourcing skills ordering bike parts. I now work at Halfords as part of their customer and bike repair team.
Leigh, former prisoner, now Halfords colleague
Ex-offender Tyler
In prison I got my level 2 catering course in HMP Glen Parva, I learnt to cook and run a kitchen. I’m now a chef in a busy pub kitchen working for Greene King.
(Video) New way to help ex-inmates re-enter society & stay out of prison | Louise Wasilewski | TEDxPeachtree
Tyler, Former prisoner, now Greene King employee
Getting started – how to work with prisoners and ex-offenders
Opportunities for serving prisoners
Is your business looking for a space and workforce to make a product, or deliver a service?
The New Futures Network can help you by working with prisons and partner organisations to set up training and production facilities within the prison estate, to meet your business needs.
Find out more about how businesses are already working in this way:
Redemption Roasters produces high-end coffee beans and trains prisoners in barista skills at HMP YOI Aylesbury.Redemption Roasters decided to run part of their coffee business in a prison after speaking to HMP YOI Aylesbury about supplying barista training to prisoners. They’re now the world’s first organisation to roast coffee in a prison, employing the prisoners as their production team.
The prison provided them with the use of a workshop, as well as a prison instructor to help oversee work. They supported Redemption Roasters to recruit motivated, high-potential prisoners. 100% of Redemption Roasters’ coffee is now roasted and packed at the prison. It is then shipped to Dorset to be sold in their London café and distributed to buyers in the UK and Germany.
The prisoners get a high level of training in roasting, barista skills and customer service, which makes them ideal employees for the business on the outside. Redemption Roasters has already hired two men from the roastery to work in their London coffee shop.
Max Dubiel, Founder of Redemption Roasters, said:
Setting up the roastery was actually not as complicated as we thought. We have had so much support from HMP Aylesbury itself and from the Ministry of Justice that we managed to get it on the road pretty quickly.
Redemption Roasters - Unlock Opportunity
Ready to find out more about hiring prisoners or ex-offenders? Register your interest.
Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL)
Are you interested in employing ex- offenders, but concerned that they might not be the right fit for your business?
The New Futures Network can help by working with prisons to field appropriate candidates to join your business on day release, also known as ROTL.
ROTL enables serving prisoners who are within two years of release to leave prison to work in the community. This offers you the opportunity to see first-hand the skills and experience individuals can bring to your business. It allows individuals to gain valuable experience of the way your organisation works and receive any essential training before being permanently released and possibly joining your workforce. It also helps these individuals make a smoother transition back into the community.
Find out more about how businesses are already working in this way:
Timpson has a long history of working with the prison service to employ ex-offenders, which started when James Timpson toured a local prison and spotted a prisoner with potential. As well as running training academies in prisons around the country, Timpson also hire prisoners on ROTL to work in their high street stores.
All prisoners who are eligible for ROTL are very carefully risk-assessed.
James Timpson, Chief Executive of Timpson, said:
When I first started employing people from prison my biggest concern was what people would think – and that’s not just colleagues I work with, but also our customers. Far more people come to our shops because of what we do and see it as a really positive thing.
Retailer Timpson employ ex-offenders
Employment on release
Are you looking for a new pool of skilled, enthusiastic people to work for your business?
The New Futures Network (NFN) can arrange for you to meet with prisoners before their release, so you can find out first hand about the skills they have mastered, prior work experience and qualifications gained – be they excellent customer service skills, first- class business planning or a solid foundation in something industry specific, like brick laying.
NFN will work with prisons to share information about suitable individuals, so you know you are employing the right person for your business.
Find out more about how businesses are already working in this way:
Bernard Matthews works with HMP Norwich to fill vacancies at their turkey processing plant in Norfolk. Due to the organisation’s rural location and a significant labour shortage in the area Bernard Matthews frequently need to run recruitment. They find it useful to tap into the keen talent pool from the prison.
The prison’s reducing reoffending team help Vicki, HR manager at Bernard Matthews, employ the right people by providing a ‘passport to work’ document, which outlines each candidate’s offences and behavioural record from the training or education workshops they’ve done while in prison.
The Job Centre Plus, housed within the prison, also supports by shortlisting potential candidates based on Vicki’s guidelines. Once an offer is made, the job centre team also ensure men have the documents they need for Bernard Matthews’ onboarding processes.
Andrew Sherwood, HR Director at Bernard Matthews, said:
I would recommend working with ex- offenders. Our experience has been that the people who come to work with us have been loyal and hard- working. Many of them have moved on to become machine minders or forklift drivers. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them and it’s great for us as well.
Bernard Matthews - Andrew Sherwood, Human Recourses Director
Tips for inclusive recruitment and onboarding
Recruitment practices can exclude ex-offenders from employment opportunities.
To be fairer, businesses can review their recruitment policies and practices, which will open up opportunities for ex-offenders.
If there are some offences that may be unacceptable for your organisation, NFN can help you filter by offence, so you do not have to have a blanket ban.
Consider what documentation will be required by the HR department before appointment; some forms of ID, such as proof of address, may be very difficult for prisoners to obtain and if possible this should be taken out of the process.
Consider adopting Ban the Box, a Business in the Community campaign that calls on UK employers to give ex-offenders a fair chance to compete for jobs. Companies that sign up commit to removing any tick box from job application forms that asks about criminal convictions and, if necessary, moving this question to later in the recruitment process so they fairly consider applicants’ skills, experience and ability to do the job.
Get more tips and advice on inclusive recruitment from social justice charities Nacro or Unlock.
Read more about Ban the Box from Business in the Community.
Next steps
Register your interest on the employer form and a member of the New Futures Network will be in touch with you within a week to discuss your needs.
Find out more on our website.
FAQs
Why should we hire ex convicts? ›
Hiring people with a criminal history reduces discrimination claims and violations of Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) ordinances.
Are prisoners included in the unemployment rate? ›Answer and Explanation: A prison inmate would be considered unemployed. However, besides that, prisoners are not included in computing the unemployment rate of a country....
Why is it hard for ex convicts to get a job? ›Employers often refuse to hire ex-offenders because of legal liability issues. If an employee commits a crime, the company might be held partially or fully liable, depending on the particulars of the case. This could lead to thousands or millions of dollars in damage awards and attorney fees.
What are the disadvantages of hiring candidates with criminal records? ›- Harmful to others: ...
- Degraded behavior: ...
- Employees will not be supportive to hire: ...
- Discrimination between employees: ...
- Skills may not be useful: ...
- Dishonest: ...
- Mentally weak: ...
- Involves training programs for job readiness:
Some of the most common mental health conditions faced by recently released prisoners include: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Post-incarceration syndrome. Substance abuse.
Which is a benefit of finding more successfully reintegrate ex-offenders into communities? ›Reducing expensive recidivism rates and, in many circumstances, breaking the intergenerational cycle of criminality are both achieved by assisting ex-offenders in successfully reintegrating into society.
What is the impact of incarceration on employment and earnings? ›As a result, a year-long sentence decreases cumulative earnings over five years by 13%. Beyond five years, however, there is no evidence of lower employ- ment, wage earnings, or self-employment in either state, as well as among defendants with no prior incarceration history.
Which states do not pay prisoners for labor? ›Texas is one of the four states in the United States that does not pay inmates for their labor in monetary funds, with the other states being Georgia, Arkansas, and Alabama.
How many US prisoners are forced to work? ›A report published by the American Civil Liberties Union in June 2022 found about 800,000 prisoners out of the 1.2 million in state and federal prisons are forced to work, generating a conservative estimate of $11bn annually in goods and services while average wages range from 13 cents to 52 cents per hour.
How likely are ex offenders to get a job offer? ›Their chance of getting a job offer was reduced by 65 percent. Most disturb- ing, however, was that employers called back white ex-offenders at about the same rate as blacks who reported no criminal record. Both had approximately a 17 percent chance of a follow-up call.
What states are best for ex convicts? ›
The most friendly state for felons is Vermont, where no felons are disenfranchised and no voting restrictions. In the US, there are 5.17 million people disenfranchised due to a felony conviction.
How long does post incarceration syndrome last? ›Individuals who had been incarcerated are at increased risk for mental health problems, including depression and anxiety lasting up to 5 year or more based on other factor.
What looks bad on a background check? ›A “failed” background check means the results of the background screening report returned alerts on a job candidate, such as a criminal conviction, a suspended driver's license, or a positive drug test.
What criminal background check do most employers use? ›The most popular form of background check is Level 3 background check. Criminal records, schooling, past employment, and reference checks are all part of this process. If desired, pre-employment drug test results can be included in Level 3 background check reports.
Is it ethical to check employees criminal backgrounds before hiring them? ›The view of the EEOC is that employers should conduct an individualized assessment of job candidates with a criminal history, weighing the conviction against their qualifications and other factors.
What do you call a former prisoner? ›Ex-offender, Ex-con, Ex-Offender, Ex-Prisoner. Person or individual with prior justice system involvement; Person or individual previously incarcerated; Person or individual with justice history. Parolee, Probationer, Detainee.
How hard is life as a felon? ›In California, felony convictions can have lifelong effects on your ability to find employment, obtain housing, and maintain personal relationships. A felony conviction can also lead to enhanced penalties for future criminal offenses.
Are ex convicts more likely to reoffend? ›Recidivism rates by state vary, but California is among the highest in the nation. According to a 2012 report by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, more than 65 percent of those released from California's prison system return within three years.
What are the 3 biggest challenges that inmates face when returning back to the community? ›They are not allowed to vote, have little access to education, face scant job opportunities, and are ineligible for public benefits, public housing and student loans.
How can we reduce recidivism in prisons? ›- Technology can make a difference. ...
- Education provides motivation before release, options afterward. ...
- Supporting job seekers. ...
- Provide help to drug users. ...
- Separate short-stay inmates. ...
- Recidivism reduction is doable.
Which is a common barrier to successful reintegrating prisoners back into society after their release? ›
The stigma of a criminal record is one of the most important and well-documented barriers to successful reentry and reintegration, impacting not just employment but also housing, education, and access to the safety net.
Why are some correctional employees corrupt? ›Corruption in prison usually occurs because of three factors: coercion, recruitment, or emotional blackmail. Sometimes an inmate will use coercion and threaten a prison official or their family if he or she does not comply and smuggle contraband into the prison.
What impact does incarceration have on inmates? ›Imprisonment can take a huge toll on the mental health of inmates. Those who have been incarcerated are tasked to cope with the length of their sentences, separation from their loved ones, as well as the stressors of a prison environment. This can lead to delusions, paranoia, depression, as well as PTSD.
What is the burden of incarceration? ›The $80 billion spent annually on corrections is frequently cited as the cost of incarceration, but this figure considerably underestimates the true cost of incarceration by ignoring important social costs. These include costs to incarcerated persons, families, children, and communities.
Is there a loophole in the 13th Amendment? ›The 13th Amendment bans slavery and involuntary servitude "except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." Voters in Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont amended their state constitutions in November to abolish those words and ban involuntary servitude and slavery.
What rights do prisoners lose? ›Inmates lose their right to vote, their right to privacy, and even some of their First Amendment rights. Over the years, the Supreme Court has struggled to arrive at a consistent standard for the restriction of free speech in prisons, with some questions still unanswered today.
Do prisoners have no enforceable right to be paid for their work under the Constitution? ›As recently as 2010, a federal court held that “prisoners have no enforceable right to be paid for their work under the Constitution.”
Can US prisoners refuse to work? ›From the moment they enter the prison gates, incarcerated people lose the right to refuse to work. This is because the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects against slavery and involuntary servitude, explicitly excludes from its reach those held in confinement due to a criminal conviction.
What is the average wage of a US prisoner? ›Currently, the minimum wage is $13.20. The current wage scale for people incarcerated here, however, ranges from $0.10 an hour to $0.65 an hour and is determined by your program or assignment. The majority of the prison population earns $0.25 per hour or less.
What happens if prisoners refuse to work? ›If you refuse to work, officers might decide to send you to administrative segregation. This is also known as solitary confinement or “the box.” Your rights are severely restricted in solitary. You will stay in your cell for 22 to 24 hours a day and lose most of your other privileges.
Why is it so hard for ex convicts to get a job? ›
Employers often refuse to hire ex-offenders because of legal liability issues. If an employee commits a crime, the company might be held partially or fully liable, depending on the particulars of the case. This could lead to thousands or millions of dollars in damage awards and attorney fees.
Can you ask someone if they are a felon in a job interview? ›Meaning, under California law, it is against the law to ask an applicant any questions regarding an applicant's criminal history during interviews or on the job application itself.
Is it hard for former prisoners to get a job? ›In many cases, working after prison depends on how hard you look for employment – and what kinds of jobs you seek out. If you had a job before you went to prison, looking for similar jobs when you get out is a good idea because you can use your experience in the field to show your worth as a potential employee.
Do convicts get Social Security? ›What happens to my benefits when I am in prison? If you receive Social Security, we'll suspend your benefits if you're convicted of a criminal offense and sentenced to jail or prison for more than 30 continuous days. We can reinstate your benefits starting with the month following the month of your release.
What percent of Americans are felons? ›Shannon et al. (2017) show that while the share of the total U.S. adult population with felony records is about 8 percent, the share of Black adults is about 23 percent. This rate is even higher for Black men, where one-third (33 percent) have a felony record (Shannon et al., 2017).
Which state has the most convicts? ›| # | State | Prison Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 135,906 |
| 2 | California | 97,328 |
| 3 | Florida | 81,027 |
| 4 | Georgia | 47,141 |
Spending time in jail or prison can speed up the aging process by an average of 11 months past someone's actual age, according to DNA research by Berg and his colleagues.
What personality disorder is incarcerated? ›This study revealed that nearly one-third of incarcerated in prison were found to have an anti-social personality disorder. Being single, 1000–2000 ETB income, reconviction, and alcohol users were variables that are independent predictors of ASPD.
Do inmates feel remorse? ›Whatever regret they do experience relates to unpleasant consequences that they themselves experience. They regret being apprehended but do not regret what they did. Some criminals demonstrate that they occasionally experience remorse. There are flickers of conscience.
How likely are ex-offenders to get a job offer? ›Their chance of getting a job offer was reduced by 65 percent. Most disturb- ing, however, was that employers called back white ex-offenders at about the same rate as blacks who reported no criminal record. Both had approximately a 17 percent chance of a follow-up call.
How are ex convicts marginalized? ›
They are not allowed to vote, have little access to education, face scant job opportunities, and are ineligible for public benefits, public housing and student loans.
How do you interview an ex convicts? ›- Break Down Unnecessary Barriers. ...
- Consider How Candidates May Have Grown While Incarcerated. ...
- Don't Let Convictions Become an Issue too Soon in the Interview Process. ...
- Be Willing to Let the Past Stay in the Past. ...
- Stay Away from Emotion and Stick to the Facts.
Nearly 80 million Americans, or about one-third of the total U.S. adult population, are living with some kind of criminal record. For more than 19 million Americans, that conviction has led to a felony on their permanent record.
What are ex convicts called? ›Ex-offender, Ex-con, Ex-Offender, Ex-Prisoner.
What do people think of ex convicts? ›Ex-prisoners are often not allowed to vote, they struggle to find work, and people think they are dangerous and bad people, a belief that members of the public readily convey. In other words, ex-prisoners are rejected from the society they are trying to reenter.
What is the politically correct term for ex convicts? ›The politically correct term for ex-offenders is "formerly incarcerated individuals" or "people with criminal records."
Is a forensic interview enough to convict? ›These interviews are often essential for the prosecution who will use them as a fact-finding technique. But these interviews are not always credible or reliable.
How is an ex convict viewed in society? ›The perception of being a deviant in society takes over the individual's true self. When a convict is released from prison, society still sees her/him as a person who committed a crime. It becomes a “deviant label” for her/him. Every act that s/he does is seen as an act which is done by an “Ex-Convict”.
What questions are asked in an ex offender interview? ›“I see you were convicted of a felon. What happened?” ▪ “Why should we hire you, an ex-felon?” ▪ “What makes me think you won't commit another felony?” ▪ You marked on your application that you committed a crime, did you go to prison? '
What is the difference between a felon and an ex convict? ›A felon has been convicted (i.e. found guilty) of a felony crime. A convict is someone who's been convicted of a crime (which could be a misdemeanor or a felony) but generally refers to someone who has “done time” in jail. Note that infractions and citations are not the same things as crimes or convictions.