More job options for ex-offenders, but acceptance by society remains an issue

More employers are giving former offenders a chance in the workplace, but social stigma remains a hindrance for some in their reintegration journey.

The number of employers that have hired former offenders in partnership with Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) rose from 5,603 in 2019 to 6,516 in 2023.

Close to 700 employers also benefited from a government scheme that was rolled out in April 2023, to offer firms that hire former offenders wage offsets for their first nine months on the job.

Between April and December 2023, about $2 million was disbursed to these employers for hiring more than 1,500 former offenders as part of the Uplifting Employment Credit scheme, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in response to queries from The Straits Times.

While there seem to be more opportunities now for former offenders to gain employment after their release, other issues such as social stigma and personal challenges can affect how long they stay on.

The career retention rate among former offenders who got a job with the help of YRSG has dropped over the years.

The percentage of former offenders who remained employed for three months dropped from 87 per cent in 2020 to 79 per cent in 2023. Those who remained employed for six months also dipped from 70 per cent in 2020 to 60 per cent in 2023.

YRSG told ST it does not have sufficient data to accurately identify the specific reasons behind the lower retention rates among employed former offenders.

Challenges in gaining and retaining employment

YRSG career coach Ashish Ben said former offenders may need more time to relearn old skills, which have become rusty, or learn new skills when returning to work after a long time in prison.

Some employers may not have the capacity to give them time to gain proficiency due to operational and industry demands.

Ingeus Singapore, an agency that offers career retention support to former offenders, said they may need a longer learning curve than a typical three-month adjustment period.

The agency has eight career coaches dedicated to supporting former offenders, each managing an average caseload of 65 people.

Mr Ashish said some former offenders may also have difficulty expressing themselves, and employers may mistake that for a lack of commitment or suitability for a role. They are also subject to more scrutiny, which may lead to quick assumptions.

In one incident, a former offender was seen taking a white tablet when he arrived at work.

During the day, he overheard a senior colleague commenting that he looked “stoned”. The company’s management, which heard about the incident, jumped to the conclusion that he might be using drugs.

It was later discovered that the white pill was Panadol, recounted Mr Ashish. The former offender had taken it as he had been dealing with family issues that disrupted his sleep, and he wanted to alleviate a headache when he arrived at work.

“A released ex-offender will leave the first physical prison and find himself entering a second social prison,” Mr Ashish said. “The stigma of incarceration might mean they are looked upon with suspicion.”

For 36-year-old Farhan Pauzi, who spent time in prison for drug offences, securing a job was tough when he was released, as employers would turn him away when they learnt he was still under a supervision order, which requires former drug abusers to report for regular urine tests.

One pest control company also rejected him as it was afraid his criminal record would affect his access to government offices that may hire its services.

He managed to land a job months later with a carpark management company.

“It gave me its trust and we had mutual respect. I finally felt like I met people who didn’t just judge me for my mistakes,” he said. “Having a stable job helped me to stay on the right track and not go back to prison.”

The Industrial and Services Co-operative Society, a group that helps former offenders, said they may feel inherently “flawed” or “unworthy”, which creates a mental barrier when applying for jobs or prevents them from interacting with colleagues.

For 35-year-old Hirzi (not his real name), being very careful about what he shares with colleagues is important to him.

He was previously jailed for 10 months on drug-related charges, and considered lying about his past to secure a job.

He decided to be honest with his managers about his history, but refrained from telling his colleagues.

“One day, I asked some of them about what they thought of ex-offenders generally and got a negative response. I immediately knew I couldn’t tell them about my past as I felt some of them were not ready to work with an ex-offender.”

Singapore After-Care Association director Prem Kumar said that despite the significant progress made in terms of societal acceptance, many former offenders will always be worried about how they are viewed by colleagues.

“The desire to keep as low a profile as possible and hope that no one at work finds out about their past continues to hold true to this day,” he said.

Overcoming negative perceptions

For John (not his real name), his view of former offenders changed only after he himself was jailed for criminal breach of trust.

“Before I went to prison, I was also someone who had a negative opinion of ex-offenders. I doubted that they could really be trusted,” said the 54-year-old. “But when I was inside (prison), you get to see how life is there, what their stories are, and that changed my perception a lot.”

Chia & Thai Food Supplies director Samuel Koh said his company started employing former offenders in 2006 owing to a tight labour market.

Hiring from traditional sources had been challenging, so it decided to tap the pool of candidates among former offenders, he said.

“We were concerned about theft, violence, poor attitude and performance at work, but we recognised that these issues are not specific to ex-offenders,” he said.

The company made efforts to ensure harmony between the former offenders and other employees, which included not mentioning the former offenders’ background at work.

After 18 years, the company went from hiring two to three former offenders a year to hiring 12 to 15 now.

Sociologist Julia Wong from the Singapore Institute of Technology said it can be challenging for the public to accept that society needs to help former offenders, and this includes taking personal action.

“It is common to hear people saying, ‘Yes, we should help ex-offenders’, but when asked whether they would be willing to work or live with an ex-offender, the answer may be less encouraging,” she said.

Among the small gestures one can make are treating former offenders like any other new colleague instead of prying into their past, and getting back in touch with them after their incarceration, she noted.

“Society needs to recognise that ex-offenders have already paid their dues and served their punishment,” she said. “You’ll be surprised how such small acts can make a difference to another person’s life.”

Source: Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Permission required for reproduction.

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