Eat – sleep – offend – repeat. That is NOT a pattern that we want to see printed on any mug or worn on any t-shirt. We need to break that cycle.
It is estimated that reoffending costs £18billion a year in England and Wales and the reoffending rate for those serving short-term sentences of less than 12 months remains stubbornly high – at around 63%.
You would think then that creating opportunities out of crime would be a no-brainer. A home and a job are basic staples of life that can provide the stability that’s needed to start to turn things around.
But it’s often not that simple.
‘Matt’, one of Clean Sheet’s Members, reflected on his experience after coming out of prison.
People just seemed to lose interest once they saw I had a conviction. I got really down and just didn’t see the point.
For people like Matt, when doors are repeatedly shut in their faces, the future can look bleak. For some, the temptation to return to crime can be so strong, especially when things like addiction, homelessness or coercion are involved and they lack support to keep moving forward.
Thankfully, Matt’s story was a bright one. Despite the difficulty of finding work, he persevered.
Once I became a Clean Sheet Member, I had access to their Employers Directory, which is an amazing resource. The Employers Directory was full of companies who would look past my conviction and see me, with all the life skill and experience I have… if I hadn’t contacted one of the companies in there, I reckon I’d still be looking for a job now.”
Speaking about his experience of being in work, Matt said:
Being back in work has most definitely improved my health and mental health. My advice [to anyone] would be never give up and keep trying. It may take time but something will turn up in the end.
So let’s break that cycle. ‘Eat – sleep – offend – repeat’ doesn’t work for anyone. ‘Eat sleep – give opportunity – repeat’ is a much better way forward and through this we can start to see lives – and society – transformed.