Providing enterprise support for offenders: realising new opportunities or reinforcing old inequalities?

Policies to encourage entry into self-employment are increasingly being linked to measures to combat high unemployment and social exclusion. This is particularly evident in the United Kingdom, where a plethora of initiatives to promote enterprise in deprived communities and amongst underrepresented groups have recently been introduced. Drawing upon findings emerging from research conducted for the Small Business Service (SBS), the author discusses the current system of enterprise support for offenders in England. The key finding which emerges is that support is characterised by a number of fundamental weaknesses which risks perpetuating the myth that offenders are natural risk takers capable of turning small amounts of financial capital into thriving businesses, whilst consigning many to insecure, low-paid forms of employment.