Criminal offenders earn a fifth less following return to the workforce

The number of former probationers (+14%) and former prisoners (+19%) who were engaged in paid employment increased at a comparable rate with all employees (+14%) between 2019 and 2023.

People who have been jailed or engaged with probation services as a criminal sanction earn approximately one-fifth less than other people when they enter the workforce.

And female former offenders earn less than male former offenders, new Central Statistics Office (CSO) data shows.

Former prisoners released in 2018 earned €516 per week and former probationers released in the same year earned €509 compared to the total population of employees who earned €620 weekly in 2021.

Three years after receiving a probation order, females earned €343 weekly - an average of €177 less per week than males (€520) who also had served probation in 2018.

Re-offenders consistently earned less than non-re-offenders. In 2019, a year after receiving probation, re-offenders earned €405 per week compared with €457 for non-re-offenders.

Overall, the number of former probationers (+14%) and former prisoners (+19%) who were engaged in paid employment increased at a comparable rate with all employees (+14%) between 2019 and 2023.

Comparable indices showing the levels of paid employment for former probationers in employment fell by 23% when compared with 13% for all employees in 2020, following the outbreak of covid.

Commenting on the CSO report into Circumstances of Persons Linked to Justice Sanctions 2021, Felix Coleman, Statistician in the Crime and Criminal Justice Division, said that the publication provides information on the earnings and paid employment of former prisoners and probationers from 2018 for the three years prior to and post sanction.

In summary, former probationers’ weekly earnings from employment were a fifth less than the median or mid-point weekly earnings for all employees.

"Estimates indicate that in 2021, three years following probation supervision, median weekly earnings (€509) were just under 18% less than the equivalent earnings for all employees (€620). Likewise, the weekly earnings of former prisoners (€516) were also less (17%) than the population average of €620."

In addition to lower average earnings, former probationers also experienced less stable employment, Mr Coleman said.

Impact of covid

"Although the levels of employment for former probationers increased by a similar level to that of all employees between 2019 and 2023 (14%), the estimates show that the impact of covid on the labour market was greater for former probationers in employment than on the wider population. In April 2020 following the outbreak of covid, the probation employment indices fell by 23% compared with 13% for all employees over the same period."

Younger age groups of former probationers or former prisoners tend to be paid a similar amount from employment when compared with the overall population of employees, Mr Coleman said. 

"For example, former probationers in 2018 aged 21 to 25 earned €429 on average per week in 2021, slightly less (9%) than the weekly pay of all persons (€472). In contrast, former probationers aged 41 to 50 in the same year earned €617 a week, 20% less than the pay received by all employees in the same age category (€768).

"Females that were released from prison in 2018 experienced the largest drop in earnings following release. Their earnings in 2019 (€226), a year following release, were 43% lower than in 2018 (€399) although females typically make up just 8% of the prison release population," he said.

In total, 29,000 released prisoners and 38,000 persons identified by the Probation Service as having received Probation Orders from 2015-2021 were included in the study.