Prisoners to be offered apprenticeships to cut crime

Prisoners are already able to study, train and work while in jail and a further 5,000 prisoners take part in vital work in the community through release on temporary license. However, prisoners are currently unable to take advantage of apprenticeships, despite evidence showing that prison leavers in work are significantly less likely to re-offend.

The Government is set to change the law so that those being held at open prisons across England are able to apply for apprenticeship opportunities in vital industries, including hospitality and construction , providing direct routes into jobs with businesses in the community.

The scheme will initially be offered up to a hundred prisoners across England before being rolled out across the wider prison estate.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab, said: “We are introducing prisoner apprenticeships to give offenders the skills and training they need to secure a job on release.

“Getting offenders into work offers them a second chance to lead a more positive life and stay on the straight and narrow. Breaking the cycle of crime is critical to our mission to drive down reoffending, cut crime and protect the public.”

Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi said: “We want everyone to have access to the high-quality training they need to progress and build a brighter future.

“Apprenticeships will offer prisoners a lifechanging chance to gain the skills they need to secure a rewarding career, while providing more businesses with the skilled workforce they need to grow.

The scheme will see hundreds of prisoners start an apprenticeship by 2025, with pre-apprenticeship training offered to thousands more – preparing them for a full apprenticeship scheme or a higher skilled job on release.