Iceland have written to prisons minister Lord Timpson to suggest low-risk prisoners work out short term sentences by working with the retailers, to help Britain’s overcrowded jails
Britain’s overcrowded prison crisis could be saved by lags being sent to work for Iceland for their sentences.
The supermarket says low-risk offenders handed short sentences would instead work for the retailer, as the country struggles with overflowing jails. Iceland’s chief executive Richard Walker and first director of rehabilitation Paul Cowley have written to prisons minister Lord Timpson over the idea.
Mr Cowley, an ex-offender himself, told the Times: “If it all goes well, then that’s your sentence. You don’t go to prison. You don’t lose your home, kids don’t go into care. And if it doesn’t, and it all goes pear shaped, then it’s a suspended sentence which kicks in.
‘It’s an opportunity to get rid of a custodial sentence. And I believe, and the company believes, that would have some impact on reducing reoffending and our prison population.
“We have a prison crisis, and we have a solution that we think could be really powerful. And look, if people mess up and they don’t turn up for work, then they do go inside.”
Last year it was reported Iceland has been helping ex-offenders across the UK get back into the workforce as part of its ‘Second Chance’ rehabilitation scheme. Hundreds of ex-offenders have been hired as front-line retail workers and delivery drivers at Iceland since Mr Cowley’s appointment in 2022.
He said: “Our newly rehabilitated colleagues have been a brilliant addition to the team, with some already being promoted into new roles and receiving awards for their hard work. Not having the security of a paid job following release from prison can have a devastating impact on ex-offenders, as well as their family, friends and society as a whole – with the cost of reoffending currently sitting at £18 billion per year.
“These individuals deserve the second chance that we are giving them, and more needs to be done to ensure they are given the opportunity to succeed.
Richard Walker, Executive Chairman at Iceland added: “Helping ex-offenders get back into the workforce is proven to reduce reoffending, and we’re proud to be helping them with their rehabilitation and to offer security following release. Finding meaningful paid employment following release from prison is a significant factor in reducing the chances of individuals reoffending, so it’s not only beneficial to us to have them in the workforce but also to society as a whole.
“We’re incredibly lucky to have Paul with his years of experience working to help rehabilitate ex-offenders running our Second Chance scheme, and the results speak for themselves. The next step for us is to help more people is to share our blueprint for rehabilitation to get ex-offenders into the workforce and help them stay on the right path.”
