Making Ground: Where Opportunity Meets Redemption

Author

Esther Champion
July 18, 2025

Summer is in full swing, and with it comes fresh insight, inspiration, and a few exciting updates here at Myrtos Consultancy. In this edition, we shine a spotlight on Kier’s Making Ground programme; a bold initiative turning prison leavers into construction professionals, and celebrate our Prison of the Month, where outstanding talent continues to challenge expectations. Plus, there’s change on the horizon for Esther herself as Myrtos prepares for its next chapter. Stay tuned, soak up the sunshine, and let’s keep pushing for progress. But before we dive into that, take a look at what’s been happening in the Justice system recently.

Measuring Sentence Inflation in England and Wales
The Sentencing Academy has published a new analysis of sentence inflation in England and Wales since 2005. The report, authored by Jose Pina-Sánchez, Julian V. Roberts and Jonathan Bild, seeks to shed light on the extent to which an increase in sentence severity in the past two decades is due to a genuine process of ‘sentence inflation’. They estimate that since 2005, sentence severity has increased by 62%, while the seriousness of crimes processed through courts has increased by only 8%. This means that 87% of the increased sentence severity over the period was due to changes in sentencing practice, or as we term it, ‘sentence inflation’. Put differently, we estimate that sentencing in England and Wales is today 54% more punitive than in 2005.

Measuring Sentence Inflation in England and Wales is available here.

Business showcase; which business has impressed us this month…

Kier Group, a major UK construction firm, runs the Making Ground programme, which is their prison engagement and employment initiative, designed to support serving prisoners and prison leavers into sustainable careers in construction. It offers:

  • Employability training inside prisons

  • CV workshops and career advice

  • Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) placements

  • Permanent roles within Kier or its supply chain

Kier is also a Ban the Box employer, meaning they don’t ask about criminal convictions unless a security check is required, and only after a verbal job offer.

The programme began in 2013, driven by Kier’s experience delivering projects in the justice sector. They saw first-hand how rehabilitation and employment could break the cycle of reoffending. A pivotal moment came when Kier partnered with Business in the Community (BITC) to become a Ban the Box signatory in 2016, after senior leaders visited a prison and were struck by the talent and motivation of the individuals they met.

Their impact so far include:

  • Over 900 candidates have received training and careers advice

  • 75 prison leavers employed in the last three years

  • 64 ROTL placements offered across Kier and its supply chain

  • Recognised with the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year award at the Water Industry Awards in FY24

This programme is changing lives, strengthening Kiers workforce, and contributing to safer, more inclusive communities. The best thing, in my opinion, about Kier is that one of the individuals they hired after she did a ROTL placement now works in their HR department. This means they have someone with lived experience of the justice system involved in recruiting others who have lived experience too. What a great display of living out their commitment and values.

Prison of the month…

HMP Bristol (in Bristol) is a brilliant example of how employability workshops can have a positive impact not just on those who work within them, but also on the wider community. Their print shop is providing opportunities for creativity, employment on release, and a way to build a bridge between the prison and the community. From embroidered t-shirts and personalised slate photos to café signage, chopping boards, and custom-designed mugs, the craftsmanship on display is exceptional. By ordering for personal or business use, you're directly supporting individuals to develop marketable skills and improve their employment prospects on release. And with meaningful work proven to reduce reoffending by up to 50%, this isn’t just about good products. It’s about lasting change. To find out more, contact me at [email protected] 

An embroidered Wolf onto a t-shirt, created in HMP Bristol

Our highlights of the month

  • Steps to Wellbeing: Esther is thrilled to announce that she completed the CPD course of Steps to Wellbeing for Brighter days, and passed the assessment to become a trainer for them. She will now be running this course, as well as key notes talks, and workshops for businesses. To find out more visit the Brighter Days website here, or email her at [email protected]

  • Potential collaborations: We have been networking a lot recently and have had some exciting conversations with other companies about collaborative working. We hope that these will be fruitful and that more companies will become improve their inclusive hiring practices as a result.

  • RDA National Championships: We were invited to attend the Riding for Disabled Association National Championships last week as a VIP guest. This amazing charity are keen to expand their volunteer pool and be more inclusive as a result. It was an absolute privilege to attend and see the brave and talented individuals who took part. Read our Linkedin post here

  • Some changes ahead: As of August, Myrtos Consultancy will be reducing their hours, because Esther will be starting a new role with the Ministry of Justice, as a Learning Designer. This role will give her the opportunity to influence staff within the prison walls, as well as other staff within the justice system. It will also provide her with more skills to be able to put back into the business making improvements along the way. Bear with her as she transitions and finds a new routine.

Me at the Riding for Disabled Association National Championships with the wonderful Rachel, the volunteer manager.

If you have any questions, feedback, or criminal justice items you’d like us to cover, then do get in touch and let us know.

Until next time, don’t delay in increasing your inclusive work practices today…