Government emphasis on skills and support will increase employment prospects for ex-offenders

UK employers are more likely to exclude those with a criminal record than any other core jobless group according to recent research published by people management experts, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. More than a third of UK employers say that they would not consider hiring an ex-offender, even though they rate ex-offenders more highly than other core jobless groups. Among those employers with experience of employing ex-offenders, 87% consider them at least as productive as other workers and 75% consider them at least as reliable. This positive perception is corroborated by earlier findings from related research, which shows that those who have knowingly employed ex-offenders have had a positive experience.

Meanwhile, a fifth of employers say that they would be more likely to consider applicants from core jobless groups if additional state support were provided - such as state-sponsored schemes like the New Deal and the use of employment advisers during periods of employment. A similar figure said that a better match between the applicant and the skills needs of the organisation would also help boost recruitment.

Dianah Worman, Diversity Adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, responding to the publication of the Reducing Reoffending Through Skills and Employment report, said, ìThere is much to applaud in the Governmentís consultation paper. We welcome in particular the use of a Job Developer and an Offender Manager to help support and mentor the individual in continued training and successful job retention. However, the negative attitudes of many employers towards ex-offenders, which is not in every case justified on the basis of their potential, remains a residual problem for the Government and employer bodies.î

Worman concludes, ìWe therefore call upon the Government to launch a campaign alongside employer bodies, as it has done with good effect on issues such as ageism, to remove the negative stereotypes about ex-offenders.

Employability measures are all well and good, but these must be matched by greater efforts to overcome such negative attitudes.î