Hello,
An increasingly common question has been “Chris, why can’t we just get offenders mending all these flipping potholes”.
This seemingly simple question, contains a lot…
I always start my answer by saying: Yes, we should see people within the Criminal Justice System as a valuable asset and for a multitude of reasons I believe that work is very important.
At LandWorks we hold purposeful and meaningful work in high regard. We have a strong work ethic here and our day is based around real commercial work, that must produce an income.
Our working day is carefully structed and surrounded by therapeutic support. Designed to build skills, confidence, and motivation to become ‘work-ready’. Many people arriving at LandWorks will have never been in employment before.
I estimate (based on our data) that only 16% of people who engage at LandWorks are ‘work ready’. 84% are simply not ready. Struggling with poor mental health, addictions, neuro divergence, lack of confidence, low skill levels etc.
To think that offenders are potentially a ‘quick fix’ and categorising them as simply ‘the challenging unemployed’, who frankly just require a shovel and truck of tarmac to follow, is wrong and naïve.
A (possibly) helpful pothole analogy…
- Quick fix… blob of tarmac, fills hole, job done and cheap to do, but a short-term solution.
- Long-term fix… considers what the underlying road problem is. E.g. subsidence, water erosion, frost pocket, heavy traffic etc. This informs how you deal with the fundamental issue, which requires time and resources. Initially expensive, but not when viewed over the long-term.
We spend time at LandWorks identifying the underlying problems that an individual comes with. We work at supporting improvements which over time means that people become work-ready and capable enough to get into or back into employment.
So, it would be helpful, if we could just stop punishing people, understand that for those in the CJS getting work ready needs help, support and takes time.
Wouldn’t it be better to invest in the long term, see people as an asset and not just as a cheap quick-fix solution to rectify a long-term problem?
Short term fixes in the CJS currently cost us all £19 billion/year by people reoffending.
LandWorks proves that with time and investment, people who once offended in their community can re-join it and make a positive contribution.
Talking of pothole worries, on May the 26th the Exeter Half Marathon is on and hopefully pothole free! Lilly and Chris are running on behalf of LandWorks. Thank you to all who have kindly sponsored them already. If you would like to add your support, please click here. Every pound donated will be match funded up to £5000.
Chris
25th April 2024