Iceland Foods executives have suggested that offenders who face short prison sentences could be offered a job instead.
Iceland’s chief executive Richard Walker, and Paul Cowley the director of rehabilitation have written Lord Timpson the minister for prisons and probation, and reducing reoffending to propose the scheme.
As part of a sentence with a suspension, low-risk offenders could be given a job in Iceland before they serve any jail time.
Walker told The Times that “we have a crisis in prisons, and we’ve got a solution we think is really powerful.” Look, if someone is late for work or makes a mistake, they will be sent to prison.
He said that hiring criminals can reduce reoffending, and it is also good for the business because offenders are more likely to stay in their jobs.
Cowley said, “If everything goes well, that’s the sentence you get.” You do not go to prison. You won’t lose your house, and the kids will not be placed in care. If it does not, and everything goes wrong, it is a suspended punishment that kicks in.
“But this is an opportunity to eliminate a custodial punishment.” “I believe that this would have a positive impact on the reduction of reoffending, as does the company.”
Iceland hired 350 ex-offenders as drivers and shopfloor workers in August of last year. The Times reported Cowley and Walker had spoken with two former attorneys general about the feasibility of this plan. They said that the plan is legally possible.
Cowley said The Times that “we won’t be considering anyone on the sex offender register”. We can’t put people on the sex offender register in public-facing companies like Iceland Foods.
Cowley continued: “We cannot take anyone who has a conviction for arson, due to insurance issues.” We also don’t accept anyone with a domestic violence conviction and children involved. “We don’t want that either.”
Walker said, “We know a lot more about them than we do non-offenders.”
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