Almost 4,000 ex-offenders have been helped into work since the launch of a major drive to increase employment and cut crime

One year after the creation of Employment Advisory Boards, which connect business leaders with prisons to offer guidance on job skills, the proportion of ex-offenders employed six weeks after release has increased by nearly half.

Greggs has joined TalkTalk and Lotus Cars in supporting governors’ efforts to ensure that offenders are job-ready when they walk through the prison gate, giving the program an additional boost.

As of right now, the government is on track to install boards in all 91 “resettlement” prisons by the spring of 2023, with 50 of them already operational in England and Wales.

With ex-offenders in stable employment being nine percentage points less likely to commit new crimes, this will be essential in reducing the £18 billion annual cost of reoffending and protecting the public.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister, said:

The key to reducing crime and making our streets safer is that we are putting more offenders to work than ever before.

This will put ex-offenders on a sustainable path away from crime, assisting in the protection of the public, along with our efforts to combat addiction, enhance education, and preserve important family ties.

Greggs Chief Executive Roisin Currie said:

At Greggs, we think that by choosing the right person and giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential, we can avoid overlooking any potential employees due to their past.

Through our specialized Fresh Start program, we have worked with prisoners for a number of years.

More recently, we joined the Employment Advisory Board program to enable us to do even more.

Everyone can see the enthusiasm and drive that people have for their work when given the chance to jump-start their careers or turn around their lives, and as a company, we are extremely motivated to do everything in our power to give these people a new beginning.

The government pledged to spend £200 million annually, including on prisoner employment programs, to reduce reoffending by 2023 as part of the Prisons White Paper, which was published in December.

One area in which ex-offenders are quickly being hired is through Employment Advisory Boards:

In prisons, 46 Employment Hubs, which are similar to Job Centers in the community, have been established. Prisoners can access career advice, receive assistance with their CVs, and inquire about job postings on noticeboards through the Hubs.

To oversee job programs in resettlement jails, 71 Employment Leads have been selected.

They will collaborate with the national team of the Prison Service, the New Futures Network.

They serve as a liaison between the prison and employers and can recommend inmates for interviews with firms who have openings based on their qualifications.

Ex-offenders are filling employment vacancies in businesses of all sizes and turning their backs on crime by working in a variety of industries, such as manufacturing, retail, catering, and construction.

Greggs has hired 120 ex-offenders since 2012 and has noticed tremendous benefits from doing so.

According to a survey commissioned by the Ministry of Justice, over 90% of companies that hire ex-offenders said that they are dependable, skilled at their jobs, punctual, and trustworthy.