Prison leavers in London are less likely to find and maintain
employment compared to those in the rest of the country, with
over 80 per cent of leavers unable to find a job. Staffing
shortages, overcrowding, an underfunded probation service and a
lack of joined-up support after release are all listed as key
factors in this.
Official statistics show that in 2023-24, just 17.1 per cent of
ex-offenders in London were employed six weeks after release from
custody.[1] This rises to
27.9 per cent after six months - still fewer than one in
three.[2]
This is slightly lower than the national average across England
and Wales, with 19.3 per cent of ex-offenders employed after six
weeks, rising to 31.1 per cent after six months.[3]
The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills
Committee has today published its
report –Employment in London after prison – highlighting
the challenges prison leavers face in accessing employment, and
the impact this has on London's economy.
Employers have traditionally been reluctant to employ people who
have spent time in prison. However, employers with experience of
working with prison leavers highlighted that although negative
stereotypes exist, they are not based on facts or experience.
The Committee has called for additional funding
for training for people in prison to help them prepare for future
employment opportunities and to better prepare prisoners to play
an active role in society and boost the wider economy.
Recommendations include:
- Additional funding is required to improve education and
training for people in prison to help them prepare for future
employment opportunities.
- The Mayor should convene London's prison governors to discuss
the potential and challenges of the use of Release on Temporary
Licence (ROTL) in London prisons, with the aim of re-establishing
access to ROTL in at least two London prisons by the end of 2027.
- The Greater London Authority should launch a small-scale
scheme to attract and recruit people who have been to prison
within the next 12 months.
Hina Bokhari OBE AM, Chair of the London
Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee,
said:
“The challenge of improving employment outcomes for people
leaving prison is highly complex, and is not something that will
change overnight.
“We heard from employers how prison leavers are essentially
an untapped market of workers who can play a pivotal role in
boosting the economy, whilst reducing reoffending
rates.
“However, the stigma associated with prison leavers weighs
heavy on the minds of employers, who often choose alternative
options when hiring for roles.
“Ex-offenders often show a higher dedication and commitment
to succeeding in roles because they see it as their last chance
to turn their lives around. This should be commended and
rewarded, but far too often it is ignored.
“Years of underfunding from governments has made it that much
harder for prisons to prepare soon-to-be leavers for the working
world, and we want to see this change.
“Boosting funding for training in prisons and the Mayor
taking a lead in breaking the stigma would be a huge step towards
maximising the skills of all Londoners, and we urge the Mayor and
government to take forward our recommendations in this
report.”
Notes to editors:
- Ministry of Justice, Offender Employment
Outcomes – Statistical Summary, 17 February 2025
- Ministry of Justice, Offender Employment
Outcomes – Statistical Summary, 17 February 2025
- Ministry of Justice, Offender Employment
Outcomes – Statistical Summary, 17 February 2025
- Read the embargoed report in full attached.
-
Hina Bokhari OBE
AM, Chair of the Economy, Culture and Skills
Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Economy, Culture and
Skills Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the
London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
