title: The perceived employability of ex-prisoners and offenders.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia. jgraffam@deakin.edu.au
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Graffam
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Shinkfield
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hardcastle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011379:Prognosis; D011639:Public Opinion; D011793:Queensland; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria; D014829:Vocational Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data