‘Helping offenders into work will enable employers to fill vacancies and plug our skills gaps’
Business leaders are collaborating with the UK government in a new initiative aimed at reducing reoffending by helping offenders find stable employment.
The new Employment Councils will bring together probation services, local businesses, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help offenders serving sentences in the community.
The initiative, which expands on the Employment Advisory Boards, will operate across 11 regions, linking offenders with employers and DWP job centres to enhance job readiness and provide ongoing support.
James Timpson, Minister for Probation, Prisons, and Reducing Reoffending, highlighted the importance of employment in reducing crime.
"Getting former offenders into stable work is a sure way of cutting crime and making our streets safer. That's why partnering with businesses to get more former offenders into work is a win-win," he said in a statement.
According to recent UK government data, offenders employed within six weeks of release are significantly less likely to reoffend. Unemployed offenders are twice as likely to commit further crimes (16.8%), while those in work have a much lower reoffending rate (35.3%)
Employing offenders
Baroness Maeve Sherlock, DWP Lords Minister, stressed the dual benefits of the initiative.
"As well as making our streets safer, helping offenders into work will enable employers to fill vacancies and plug our skills gaps," she said.
The Employment Councils will provide practical support to probation staff, who are already involved in assisting offenders in their search for employment.
The councils will help staff better understand the local job market and foster relationships with employers who are open to hiring offenders. Work coaches from the DWP will also be involved, providing assistance with mock interviews, CV writing, and job training opportunities.
"This work is vital in our Plan for Change as we begin our task of fixing the fundamentals of the social security system and progress with wider work to reduce poverty, put more money in people’s pockets and keep our streets safe," Sherlock said.
