Reducing barriers to the labour market for those leaving prison would assist employers to find new talent and help cut reoffending, a conference has heard.

Almost 22,000 offenders have been supported by a community organisation over the last five years, with 13,000 placed in employment, education, or training.

An integration project says their programme for released inmates costs 70 times less than keeping them detained in prisons.

DECLAN was heavily involved in the drugs trade.