Young Adults and Criminal Justice

Young Adults and Employment

The report by the Barrow Cadbury Trust Commission on Young Adults and Criminal Justice recommended that educational and employment opportunities improve for young adults with convictions. Finding regular and satisfying work is an important part of making the transition to adulthood and moving away from crime. Research has shown that having a stable job reduces re-offending by between a third and a half.

Many people who have been through the criminal justice system – particularly those who have been in prison - suffer from a chronic lack of qualifications, training and experience that can make finding a job extremely difficult. This dire employment situation faced by all ex-offenders is even worse for those between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four.

The Barrow Cadbury Trust has recognised that helping young adults with convictions into employment has huge benefits for the individual and for society as a whole. We have established a project, in partnership with Business in the Community to help encourage employers to set up employment opportunities for young adults with convictions. Together, we have established a group of pioneer companies with current experience of employing young adults with convictions. Their shared experiences are documented in a handbook for employers: Getting Out To Work - Employing Young Adults With Convictions - A Guide to Good Practice.