Reducing the chances of re-offending

Lack of employment can be a major contributory factor in offending. Research shows offenders who are unemployed are twice as likely to reoffend than those with a job. Some 55 per cent of our caseload are unemployed.

Many offenders had poor school experiences and have little or no skilled work experience. They also have criminal convictions which are a bar to employment.

The purpose of helping offenders to gain employment is to reduce the chances of them reoffending and cut crime.

How do we help?

All offenders under our supervision are screened to determine their employability and level of skills. Those who are identified in need of help are given support by our Bridge to Employment (B2E) team. Our skilled B2E advisers help offenders address skills gaps and gain training and employment.

Our contract was awarded to Milton Keynes College and they facilitate access to colleges and other educational establishments throughout Thames Valley.

Offenders can also attend one-to-one sessions with B2E advisers. Support includes:

• Help looking for work
  
  
• Assistance with job applications and brokering with potential employers
  
  
• Help accessing training and college courses
  
  
• Advising offenders how to deal honestly with questions about their offending history
  
  
• Continuing support and contact once offenders have got a job to further
  develop their skills
  

Thames Valley Probation excels in its B2E service. It was commended in an Ofsted inspection (July 2010) and we achieved the Matrix Accreditation for the third time in 2010. We believe we are the only Probation
Trust to have done so for three consecutive three-year terms.

Our results also speak for themselves. In 20010/11, we exceeded our target to get offenders into work by the end of their time with us and to sustain employment.