3rd December 2025
We are joined by Reed in Partnership to present their recent research project and Collective Encounters to share their work in Liverpool
Reed in Partnership
Eva Bell, policy and research manager at Reed in Partnership, shares their recent research on employer attitudes to employing people with criminal convictions based on a survey of over 1,000 employers.
The survey found that:
- The proportion of employers who would consider recruiting someone with a conviction was universally lower across a range of offence types in 2025 compared to the last time this survey was carried out in 2013.
- One in five employers said that they would immediately reject a candidate who disclosed a criminal conviction.
- On the other hand, the majority of employers surveyed in 2025 who have employed people with criminal convictions rated staff with a criminal conviction as having the same or higher levels of commitment, resilience and trustworthiness as comparable staff with no conviction.
The report also reflects on inclusive recruitment practices before and spotlights some employers implementing inclusive hiring practices for people with criminal convictions.
Collective Encounters
We are also joined by Michelle Richards from Collective Encounters, a Liverpool based organisation who currently have a Ministry Of Justice funded project delivering to BAME men and women who are on probation.