Trust the experts

We are the experts in this space and that’s why we’ve assembled some of the best resources available in Australia about this area of employment. Our resources are for:


Government

Funders

Employers

Mentors


Job-seekers

Media


Resources for Government Decision-Makers

Breaking the cycle of female incarceration should be of concern to everyone. Current research about the causes and effects of incarceration frequently positions entrenched disadvantage as a key factor in the incarceration of women. However, the research surrounding incarceration and employment, particularly how it affects women is a complex issue that spans gender and culture. It also includes the need to understand how female offenders perceive shame and stigma in relation to a criminal record as they seek employment. The research papers and resources below can help interested individuals and groups gain an understanding of some of these issues affecting women with a criminal record. They discuss employment relations, as they relate to recruitment discrimination, and discrimination law. We hope that this literature can help everyone to understand the important challenges that women face after they have experienced the criminal justice system, and especially alongside their attempts for rehabilitation through employment.

Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) Report

Incarceration rates, spending on prisons and recidivism are all rising, even as rates of serious crime are not. Moreover, while overall numbers of female prisoners are lower than men, women’s incarceration rates have grown by more than 60 per cent over the last decade. This is despite the fact that there strong evidence on the benefits of alternatives to incarceration that require less spending and achieve better outcomes. With tight labour markets, the need for budget repair and growing demands on government resources, the CEDA report challenges ineffective policies and programs wherever they exist. It is also important to recognise as the report shows that approximately 70 per cent of imprisoned women are victims of crime themselves. It reinforces the fact that when a woman’s connection to her community is broken through incarceration, her disadvantage can be further entrenched. Her absence can also have inter­generational consequences for her children, creating further economic and social costs and an ever-widening cycle of disadvantage. Click below to read the report.

Signalling Success

Signalling Success is an evaluation of the Success Works pilot program by Diane van den Broek and Prudence Black. Click below to view. 

Female ex-offenders, Discrimination and Work

This research paper investigates the Role of the Success Works Initiative into female ex-offenders, discrimination and work.  A paper written by Dr Diane Van Den Broek, Dr Prudence Black and Eleni Psillakis.  Click below to read more

Explainer Video

This one-minute video explains why breaking the cycle of female incarceration needs to be a priority for policy and decision-makers.

“Do Not Pass Go” Report

This short article highlights the type of ‘moral panic’ that often surrounds the exponential increases in the demand for police checks during recruitment processes. It suggests that this drive for police checks reflects considerable fear and prejudice as well as fear of litigation on the part of employers in Australia. Source: Naylor, B. (2005). Do Not Pass Go: The Impacts of Criminal Behaviour Checks on Employment in Australia. Alternative Law Journal, 30 (4), 174–179.

“Criminal record checking and employment” Report

This article highlights the importance of employment to the rehabilitation of offenders, yet argues the growth of employers routinely checking criminal records often denies offenders employment. It outlines how recent campaigns aimed at ‘banning the box’, requiring that questions about criminal record are deferred to a later point when the person could address them in interview, may be an improved solution. The research draws on findings from surveys and interviews with human resources personnel about their criminal record checking practices to identify some key concerns of employers. The research highlights how legislation, government policy and industry regulation as well as internal factors about proximity of the decision maker to the applicant and to other staff shapes the willingness of some employers to engage with ex-offender applicants. It also suggests that opening up conversations with people with a criminal record will help them desist from reoffending. Despite this, many employers adopt a risk-averse approach to employment, pre-emptively excluding potentially productive employees, and putting such ex-offenders at risk of deeper exclusion.

Source: Heydon, G., & Naylor, B. (2018). Criminal record checking and employment: The importance of policy and proximity. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 51(3) 372–39.

“Women in Prison” Report

Women in Prison: an examination of the support needs of women in custody with children. This report by Jude Lobo and Mark Howard highlights the support needs of women with children in NSW prisons.

Resources for Funders

Our funders play an essential role in changing women’s’ lives. Read below about our 3 year strategic plan and our impact.

Success Works Partners Strategic Plan 2023 – 2025

Our vision is a world where women who have been impacted by the criminal justice system face ZERO discrimination in recruitment and employment. Our Strategic Plan identifies four strategic objectives that will guide our work over the next three years, underpinned by our people and our values.

Signalling Success

Signalling Success is an evaluation of the Success Works pilot program by Diane van den Broek and Prudence Black. Click below to view. 

Female ex-offenders, Discrimination and Work

This research paper investigates the Role of the Success Works Initiative into female ex-offenders, discrimination and work.  A paper written by Dr Diane Van Den Broek, Dr Prudence Black and Eleni Psillakis.  Click below to read more

Donor Explainer Video

This one-minute video explains why your support is so vital to breaking the cycle of female incarceration.

Resources for Employers

We meet so many employers, and the vast majority have asked for guidance in this area of recruitment. Download some of our FREE resources today! 

10 Ways to Safeguard your Organisation against complaints of discrimination in employment on the basis of criminal record

There is a great deal of misunderstanding by employers and recruiters about discrimination on the basis of a criminal record, which can lead to employees and candidates making complaints to the Human Rights Commission. Discrimination occurs when the following situations happen based on the inappropriate use of a criminal record:

Job refusal
Employment dismissal
The denial of training opportunities
Harassment in the workplace

This fact sheet has been produced by Success Works Partners to assist employers, HR managers and recruiters to understand some of the common pitfalls to guard against complaints.

Unsure about how to assess and manage police checks?

Our 6 step guide will provide you with a clear and consistent approach to assessing risk and to guiding the decision-making process around this area of recruitment, with expert tips on how to assess and manage the Police Check process.

Please email us for a copy of this guide and we will be happy to send it out to you: info@successworks.org.au 

“Do Not Pass Go” Report

This short article highlights the type of ‘moral panic’ that often surrounds the exponential increases in the demand for police checks during recruitment processes. It suggests that this drive for police checks reflects considerable fear and prejudice as well as fear of litigation on the part of employers in Australia. Source: Naylor, B. (2005). Do Not Pass Go: The Impacts of Criminal Behaviour Checks on Employment in Australia. Alternative Law Journal, 30 (4), 174–179.


“Criminal record checking and employment” Report

This article highlights the importance of employment to the rehabilitation of offenders, yet argues the growth of employers routinely checking criminal records often denies offenders employment. It outlines how recent campaigns aimed at ‘banning the box’, requiring that questions about criminal record are deferred to a later point when the person could address them in interview, may be an improved solution. The research draws on findings from surveys and interviews with human resources personnel about their criminal record checking practices to identify some key concerns of employers. The research highlights how legislation, government policy and industry regulation as well as internal factors about proximity of the decision maker to the applicant and to other staff shapes the willingness of some employers to engage with ex-offender applicants. It also suggests that opening up conversations with people with a criminal record will help them desist from reoffending. Despite this, many employers adopt a risk-averse approach to employment, pre-emptively excluding potentially productive employees, and putting such ex-offenders at risk of deeper exclusion.

Source: Heydon, G., & Naylor, B. (2018). Criminal record checking and employment: The importance of policy and proximity. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 51(3) 372–39.

Need Workers? Hiring Job Seekers With a Criminal Record Can Be the Right Move

In a tight labour market, more companies are seeing the benefit of giving every candidate a fair chance. This WSJ article shows how employers in the US are embracing change.

Resources for Mentors

“It grounds me”: The Shared Value of Mentoring

Julie Babineau is the CEO of Odyssey House NSW a rehabilitation service. In this article, Julie shares her experience of being a Success Works mentor. Julie was interviewed in late 2022.  Julie was interviewed by Board member Associate Professor Diane van den Broek

Resources for Job-seekers

COMING SOON!

Media Resources

Here are some examples of some past media stories. Success Works Partners engages with the media in order to educate the public and change public perceptions about women with a criminal record. If you are running a story, please contact Eleni on 0467 767076.

Diversity Council of Australia Article

Board member Diane van den Broek wrote this article for the Diversity Council of Australia to bring attention to one area of Diversity and Inclusion that is being overlooked by most employers. Click below to read it.

Meet the women helping smash the stigma of having a criminal record

Read about Juanita and Eleni who have both experienced the profound stigma of having a criminal record in this article on SBS News

Meet the women helping smash the stigma of having a criminal record

Hear from Juanita and Eleni who have both experienced the profound stigma of having a criminal record in this short 2 minute video.

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