Policy and Practice
Our aim is for this section to inform you of policy, programmes, practice and legislation in the offender employment field in Europe and beyond.
Programmes, Policies and Proposed Reforms
Here we provide research and recommendations on the design and effectiveness of offender employment programmes and policies in Europe. These findings are likely to inform future developments across the region.
Enhancing Employability in Prison and Beyond
NIACRO has produced a ‘what-works’ review of literature covering policy and practice across all aspects of offender employment. Using examples from around the world the review evaluates best practice around training in prisons, post-release employment programmes, and dealing with the legal and social barriers to employment that ex-offenders face. Click here for the full report.
The Economic Case for Employment Led Resettlement
NIACRO has produced a summary of findings on the financial benefits of ex-offender employment to business, the local community and the public purse. The report provides numerous examples of policies, interventions and good practice in Europe and America. Although they are aimed at UK practitioners, the recommendations on page five of the document will be invaluable to those involved in offender employment across Europe. Click here for the report.
Recommendations for the Reintegration of (Ex)-Offenders
EQUAL, an EU initiative implemented up until 2008, produced a set of recommendations for effective reintegration of offenders after incarceration. The recommendations emphasise improving employability through training and increasing inter-service cooperation. They serve as a good introduction to the issues and ideas at the forefront of effective offender employment policies and initiatives. Click here for the full set of recommendations.
Breaking the Cycle
In December 2010 the UK Ministry of Justice published a green paper detailing its commitment to introduce a 'revolution' in the rehabilitation of offenders, and identifying getting offenders into work as a key priority for breaking destructive cycles of crime. The paper proposes working with other government deparments to improve training and provision; engaging employers to work with offenders; and reforming legislation to reduce unnecessary obstacles to successful rehabilitation. To read the full report please click here.
Italian Projects Supporting Ex-Offenders
This report surveys Italian projects for the inclusion of offenders, summarising good practice, problems, and overarching themes of effective provision. The report identifies training and work as central to any project aimed at social inclusion and reducing reoffending. The appendix provides extensive details on the structure and activities of 43 projects. Read the full report here.
Barriers to Employment
Legislation and policy around criminal record disclosure in job applications and employers’ recruitment practices differ from country to country. Here we plan to consider the barriers that such frameworks pose to various categories of offender, how they relate to initiatives to boost offender employment, and how they compare to those in different countries.
*more content coming soon*
Lessons from Outside Europe
With more prisoners per capita than any other country in the world, the USA has produced some of the most innovative policies, programmes, interventions and legislation in the field of offender employment in recent years. Examples of the approach taken across the pond are likely to be extremely valuable to European partners. Recent developments include:
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit
A Federal tax credit incentive provided to private-sector businesses for hiring individuals from targeted groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment (ex-offenders being one of them). For more information click here.
The UNICOR Bonding Program
A program providing theft insurance of up to $5,000 to employers who hire ex-federal offenders. Click here for more details.
Ban the Box Movement
A grassroots campaign calling for the elimination of questions about past convictions from initial public employment applications, giving formerly-incarcerated people the chance to sell themselves at interview without being dropped at the first stage of the application process. For more details click here.
Transition and Offender Workforce Development
A professional training series run by the U.S. Department of Justice for providers of employment services for people with criminal records. See their brochure for more information on the variety of services on offer.
We would like our resources to be as representative as possible so we would be very pleased to hear from you about offender employment policy in your country. Perhaps you know of some key documents written by your Ministry of Justice or Ministry of Labour and feel there should be links to them here.
Thanks, we look forward to hearing from you: lydia.finnegan@cesi.org.uk
