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First published on November 8, 2007
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 2007, doi:10.1177/0306624X07307783
The Perceived Employability of Ex-Prisoners and Offenders
Joseph Graffam*,
Alison J. Shinkfield,
and
Lesley Hardcastle
Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jgraffam{at}deakin.edu.au.
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Abstract |
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A large-scale study was conducted to examine the perceived employability of ex-prisoners and offenders. Four participant groups comprising 596 (50.4%) employers, 234 (19.8%) employment service workers, 176 (14.9%) corrections workers, and 175 (14.8%) prisoners and offenders completed a questionnaire assessing the likelihood of a hypothetical job seeker’s both obtaining and maintaining employment; the importance of specific skills and characteristics to employability; and the likelihood that ex-prisoners, offenders, and the general workforce exhibit these skills and characteristics. Apart from people with an intellectual or psychiatric disability, those with a criminal background were rated as being less likely than other disadvantaged groups to obtain and maintain employment. In addition, ex-prisoners were rated as being less likely than offenders and the general workforce to exhibit the skills and characteristics relevant to employability. Implications for the preparation and support of ex-prisoners and offenders into employment are discussed, together with broader community-wide initiatives to promote reintegration.
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