Responsibility and support provided by regular work is essential for effective rehabilitation, and a new legislation is being introduced to help ex-offenders turn their lives around through employment.
Under the proposed rules, announced on Monday (15), some sentences of more than four years will no longer have to be disclosed to employers after a specified time has passed.
This change will not apply where offences attract the most serious alanon nyc sentences, including life, or for serious sexual, violent and terrorism offences.
“While these reforms will help remove the stigma of convictions, we will never compromise public safety,” said said secretary of state for justice, David Gauke.
“That is why separate and more stringent rules will continue to apply for sensitive roles, including those which involve working with children and vulnerable adults.”
Many ex-offenders find it impossible to get a job, with just 17 per cent in employment a year after release from prison, and half of employers would not consider hiring an ex-offender.
In addition to the rule change for longer sentences over four years, the period of time for which shorter sentences and community sentences have to be revealed to employers will be scaled back.
The exact length of these ‘rehabilitation periods’ will be determined following discussions with stakeholders.
In his review into the treatment of and outcomes for BAME individuals in the criminal justice system, David Lammy MP found that current rules are “trapping offenders in their past, denying dependents an income, and costing the tax-payer money.”
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Jasvinder Sanghera (Photo by Jon Bond - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Lord Kamlesh Patel
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Poppy Jaman
