A conference on Reducing Reoffending and Changing Public Perception is to be chaired by Gethin Jones, a former prisoner who now works as an inspirational speaker and prisons advisor.

Gethin, who founded Unlocking Potential upon his release, heads a line-up of speakers who will discuss the latest best practice designed to reduce reoffending rates amongst adult and juvenile offenders.

This one-day conference – which takes place on October 2nd at St Alban's Centre, London – will bring together leading authorities from the Probation Service, Police, Courts, Prisons, Local Authorities, service commissioners, healthcare organisations, housing, voluntary & private organisations working with offenders.

Food can impact on a prisoner's behaviour, health and even chance of rehabilitation. Here Helen Sandwell, Project Lead at Food Matters Inside & Out, explains how…

The Food Matters Inside and Out project is run by the charity Food Matters. It aims to change food systems within prisons and, in doing so, enable prisoners to make healthier food choices. The project was piloted at HMP Wandsworth and is currently at HMP High Down.

Various factors need to be in place for an individual to make heathier food choices. Not only do the food choices available to them need to be health-promoting and affordable, but also the person needs to have sufficient knowledge, attitude and intent to eat that food.

Serco announces that it has signed up to the national ‘Ban the Box’ campaign from Business in the Community (BitC), which is creating a fair chance for ex-offenders to compete for jobs and bringing down the £15 billion a year cost of reoffending.

In signing up to the campaign, Serco has agreed to ban the tick box from job application forms asking about unspent criminal convictions across its UK operations and has committed to considering applicants’ skills, experience and ability to do the job before asking about criminal convictions. This means that candidates with a criminal record can now apply for jobs with Serco with the knowledge that they will be assessed on their ability to do the job before any convictions are fairly considered.