Home Department written question – answered at on 18 April 2006.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposals for a new 'employability contract' for sentenced offenders.
Evidence suggests that employment is a key factor in reducing re-offending. The 'Reducing Re-offending Through Skills and Employment' Green Paper made clear our intention to test the scope for introducing a new employability contract to motivate offenders. This new 'rights and responsibilities' package would offer offenders a menu of options for training and skills support leading to a specific employment goal. In return, offenders would be expected to engage positively with the offer and meet clear performance criteria. Offender managers would select individuals who appeared likely to benefit from an intensive programme focused on employability, making an initial assessment of the range of an individual's needs, priorities, and barriers to learning. Wherever possible, this would be conducted before sentencing, so that the outline sentence plan could be put before the court, discussed with the offender, and then reflected, where appropriate, in conditions attached to the sentence.
Yes1 person thinks so
No2 people think not
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