Labour Research February 2002

Features: Law matters

Fresh start for offenders

The TUC is adding its weight to demands for a government re-think on plans to allow employers to ask all job applicants for details of their criminal records. It has published a new report that urges employers to give ex-offenders a new start. The report says that getting ex-offenders into jobs is the best way of reducing their chances of re-offending. TUC general secretary John Monks argues that this benefits everyone. "All of us are less likely to be the victims of crime" he points out if ex-offenders get a chance to work.

The TUC report, Employment and ex-offenders is at: www.tuc.org.uk/exoffenders