London: The UK government is urging the country’s largest businesses to hire ex-offenders as part of a national campaign to help reduce reoffending rates and boost the economy.
KPMG UK, a professional services firm, became the first white-collar business to employ ex-offenders as part of a government partnership. They prosperously employed the first cohort of prison leavers in various roles, such as technology development.
They are now collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to encourage other large businesses to do the same. Additionally, KPMG UK is working on a pilot programme to support and retrain prisoners while they are still in jail.
Expanding the job market in the UK not only boosts the economy but also helps fill the estimated one million job vacancies. Additionally, it provides career opportunities for former lawbreakers, which can help prevent them from deteriorating, ultimately reducing the £18 billion annual cost of reoffending and lowering crime rates.
Edward Argar, UK Prisons and Probation Minister, stated that, “Our drive to get ex-offenders into employment is not only cutting crime and reoffending but is also growing the economy as part of our long-term plan for growth, which is why we’ve partnered with KPMG UK to encourage other businesses to follow suit. We’re helping prisoners kick-start law-abiding lives, which makes our streets safer and provides businesses with the staff they need to boost the British economy.”
Jonathan Holt, KPMG UK Chief Executive, said that, “Our longstanding focus on social mobility is about giving everyone – regardless of their background – the chance to succeed. I believe reformed prison leavers should be no exception. As well as creating permanent jobs opportunities, our New Futures pilot builds on our existing support through mentoring and skills workshops and our Redemption Roasters coffee shop in our head office. We want to play our part in helping prison leavers turn their lives around.”
The percentage of prisoners who find employment within six months are more than doubled in the two years following April 2021, according to the latest reports. It is also observed that prison leavers who are hired full-time are approximately 10 percentage points less likely to re-offend when released. Additionally, more than 90 percent of solicited enterprises that hire prison leavers notify that they are encouraged, hold good attendance, and are loyal.
This recruitment drive is part of the government’s concerted efforts to upskill and apprise convicts, which will help them to ensure their profession once they are freed. To accomplish this goal, the administration introduced several measures such as the establishment of a specialist employment team called the New Futures Network. This team connects hiring businesses with prisons, thereby enabling employers to meet their recruitment vacancies.
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