An estimated 28% of organisations in the English justice sector have vacancies, compared to 17% across all English sectors.  7% of employers report some difficulty in recruiting staff, particularly professionals, support staff to professionals, plus administrative and secretarial staff groupings.  Recruitment difficulties are not only the result of a lack of skills and knowledge of the work involved, but also of the comparatively poor terms, conditions and prospects being offered by employers.  5% of employers report skill shortage vacancies, which is equal to that across all sectors.

Significant recruitment difficulties for volunteers are also experienced by employers in the sector namely for assistance to justice professionals, administrative and professional support.  Recruitment difficulties are the result of the low number of applicants, not enough people interested in the job and a low number of applicants with the right attitude.

34% of organisations in the community justice sub-sector are expecting an increase in staff numbers, whilst 61% do not expect a change.  23% of organisations in custodial care expect an increase in staff numbers.

Hard-to-fill vacancies are the result of a low number of applicants with the required skills (55%), a lack of people with the appropriate level of qualifications (30%) and the poor terms and conditions offered (22%).

Source: UK Skill Needs Assessment 2006

For data on occupational recuritment difficulties see:

Occupational recruitment difficulties by sub-sector, 2005