The perceptions of young unemployed offenders on career development and work

Abstract

Offenders tend to have different work attitudes than conventional workers. They hold vulnerable work histories and lack of education attainment. These factors project poor prospects for career development. This study focuses on the unemployed young offenders' perceptions on career development and work. Through a series of questionnaires and interviews, I endeavoured to provide a constructive understanding of the level of responsibility and commitment offenders hold towards enhancing their employability and their experience of social exclusion. Research results from the survey questionnaire and in-depth interviewing indicate that when it comes to employment offenders are less conforming and less socially restrained than non-offenders. Their work records are much less stable and they hold low-paid jobs with poor prospects. The majority of participants showed interest in entrepreneurship because it offers them a sense of independence. The study revealed that the majority of respondents acknowledged that education obtained correlates to better work opportunities but they showed lack of commitment in following any training courses to enhance their vocational skills or level of education. Nevertheless, they wanted to earn good pay. Also, findings indicated that the majority of participants hold an external-locus of control on life philosophy, bad finances, on becoming a criminal and on succeeding in changing the criminal lifestyle. It is hoped that this small-scale research provides primary information about the offenders' perceptions on career development and work. It is also hoped that the information supplied will serve for continued research. This research concludes with some recommendations for employment and training initiative programmes for offenders because I believe that for the offender to be able to find a job with good future prospects that offers stability and good economic return he/she has to furnish himself/herself with the necessary skills to meet the needs of the labour market.