Research shows 91 percent of prisoners surveyed want to find work after leaving prison, but only a third would definitely apply for a job with a tick box. 50 employers with a combined workforce of nearly 400,000 have publicly banned the tick box from job application forms in an effort to end costly[i] discrimination against job-seeking ex-offenders – as part of Business in the Community’s Ban the Box campaign, entering its third year.
Business in the Community is calling on more employers to put an end to “archaic recruitment practices” that exclude ex-offenders after new prison research shows that the criminal record tick box serves no purpose for candidates or employers. The UK charity surveyed inmates at HMP Nottingham[ii] about their attitudes to finding work after leaving prison, to coincide with the second anniversary of its Ban the Box campaign, which aims to end discrimination[iii] against job-seeking ex-offenders. The findings showed that despite 91 percent of prisoners wanting to work upon release, only a third would definitely apply for a job with a tick box on the application form. The survey also demonstrated concern and confusion amongst prisoners – with some stating they were not aware they had to tell employers about their criminal record if asked and 47 percent claiming they would not tick the box, many for fear of automatic rejection.
Commenting on the findings, Faye Goldman, Campaign Manager for Business in the Community said: “This research clearly shows that the tick box is an archaic recruitment practice which serves no purpose for either candidates or employers. Employment allows people to move on from their past and reduces re-offending rates, but many of the prisoners we surveyed perceived the tick box to be a major barrier, despite having qualifications and a desire to work. Feedback showed that many of the prisoners want be open and honest with employers but don’t feel confident they would be given a fair chance if they were.
“50 companies have removed the tick box since we launched Ban the Box two years ago and today we’re urging more employers to develop fair and open recruitment policies, which value skills and abilities over past mistakes. It doesn’t matter whether employers ask about criminal convictions at shortlisting stage, interview, or later so long as it’s not the first thing they know about a candidate. By showing that they are open to considering candidates with convictions, businesses will not only benefit from a diverse talent pool but they will be better able to make an informed hiring decision, since candidates will feel they can be open about their past. We also recommend that prisons and other organisations that support ex-offenders provide training to help people understand how and when to tell and employer about their criminal record.”
Global Technology company Ricoh, is one of the 50 businesses from a range of sectorsthat have banned the tick box from job application forms in the 2 years since Business in the Community launched the campaign. Tony Hay, Future Talent Manager said: “When 10 million people in the UK have a criminal record[iv], businesses can’t afford to miss out on such a diverse talent pool. At Ricoh, we are committed to supporting ex-offenders with the necessary skills back into work. We do this by being clear and upfront about how we review criminal convictions, having a risk management process that works for us, and assessing each individual on a case-by-case basis. Our experience so far has been very positive and we now have some model employees who are putting their mistakes behind them and making a success of their careers.”
To help businesses understand how to Ban the Box Business in the Community is today launching a free step-by-step guide for employers to help them develop fair and inclusive recruitment policies. To download the guide, or for more information on the prison survey or Ban the Box campaign visit
