Reintegrating ex-offenders: the role and the effectiveness of social enterprise

Abstract

In consideration of the high unemployment rate among ex-offender and the increasing popularity of social enterprise in Hong Kong, this paper aimed to explore how social enterprises help ex-offenders reintegrating into society and its effectiveness. By interviewing six administrative staff from six social enterprises and distributing questionnaires to ex-offenders who are currently working in social enterprise (N=72), the results suggested that by providing job opportunities, social enterprises played an important role on facilitating ex-convicts to reintegrate into community and preventing them from recidivism. On the basis of Social Process Approach (Social Control Theory, Differential Association Theory, and Labeling Theory) and the Good Lives Model, social enterprises offer chances for them to strengthen their practical skills. They can help improve their family relationship, prosocial attitude, as well as prosocial friendship. Therefore, social enterprises can complement the shortcomings of current government and NGOs on the topic of offenders’ resettlement that their roles should not be looked down and their spirits should be spread out.