Unlocked is working to build a fairer prison system. A diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to doing this.
We celebrate the diversity of our participants and the rich experience their varied backgrounds bring – both to Unlocked as an organisation and their vital frontline work in prisons. In a role that is heavily focused on building and managing relationships with complex and often vulnerable individuals, as well as being a key part of the social and political landscape, it is vital that the prison workforce aims to be representative of the people they work with. This relates to all aspects of diversity from age to race and sexual orientation.
The Challenge
The disproportionate representation of certain groups in the criminal justice system is a major issue – and a priority for Unlocked. People from ethnic minority backgrounds are over-represented in the prison population (making up more than 25 percent of the adult male prison population and over 50 percent of young people) compared to just 14 percent in the general population.
The over-representation of people from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community is also significant. Around five percent of people in prison identify as Gypsy, Roma or Traveller, compared to an estimated 0.1 percent of the general population in England.
Taking Action
Against this backdrop of over-representation of minority groups among the prisoner population, it is particularly problematic that the prison officer workforce is largely white with just 10 percent of officers self-identifying as being from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background.
This representation discrepancy contributes to a lack of trust in the system and is a factor that inhibits many prisoners from ethnic minorities from engaging with purposeful activity and programmes aimed at rehabilitation and desistance from crime.
Unlocked aims to reverse this by recruiting exceptional candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds to the programme. The 2017 Lammy Review – into the treatment of, and outcomes for individuals from ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system – cited Unlocked as an example of best practice.
Many organisations recruit and develop high-quality, diverse candidates and there are good examples inside and out of the criminal justice system. The organisation ‘Unlocked Graduates’ encourages high-calibre graduates to take up positions in the prison workforce. In its first year, Unlocked made attracting a diverse cohort of applicants a special focus and 18.5% of their offers were to Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in 2016-17.
Lammy Review, 2017
How are we doing?
Across our first four cohorts, Unlocked participants were:
- 30 percent male and 70 percent female
- 80 percent white and 20 percent from ethnic minority backgrounds
- 10 percent identified as LBGT+
Coaching
Representation Matters is a coaching programme aimed at supporting applicants from ethnic minority backgrounds throughout the application process. We offer online material to support you in your written application and provide a series of mock assessment centre workshops.
Additionally, we provide virtual spaces to facilitate discussions around the importance of representation, and why it is important to Unlocked Graduates.
Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in prisons
Graduates on the Unlocked programme have the opportunity to promote equity, diversity and inclusion within their prisons – with the full support of Unlocked behind them. Discover some of their stories below.