With the recent economic the labour market is in labour shortage status, every industry is

Why do I believe you should hire a felon? It’s been said that when somebody has something to prove, they will move mountains for you. How much does an individual coming out of a situation such as prison have to prove? Plenty. Not only to you as an employer, not only to society in general, but also to his family and everyone else who doesn’t believe that someone who has been imprisoned can make anything of themselves in life. President Kennedy stated in an article titled, Address to the American Newspaper Publishers, "An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it. We intend to accept full responsibility for our errors; and we expect you to point them out when we miss them”

One of the main barriers that inmates face when they are released from prison is limited cognitive skills, limited education and work experience, and substance abuse or other mental health problems. Substance abuse and other mental health problems limit employability because it limits the job readiness that is required for employment (Holzer, Raphael & Stoll, 2003). Another issue that is faced when inmates are released into society is that any skills that they did have prior to conviction has diminished greatly and they face lower pay due to their diminished or lack of skills, and the attitudes that have been developed during their time in prison deeply affects their attitude during their search for employment. Offenders also face another barrier when searching for employment. Many businesses can be held legally liable for any criminal action that their employees may cause (Holzer, Raphael & Stoll, 2003). These barriers that offenders face upon release is why solid solutions and planning must be implemented when considering the integration of ex-felons into society and preparation for reentry must begin well before the scheduled release date in order to successfully reintegrate an inmate into society and reduce the rate of recidivism.

Besides, assisting the ex-offenders in becoming competitive is equally important to make them productive to their employers if given equal opportunities. The program in Kentucky aims at making the employer understand their situation while getting back to the society. Thus, it assists them psychologically and through other means to prepare to face new challenges. Besides, some of the counties and cities that note the devastating effect of not employing the ex-convicts remove the criminal records from a job application. The reform commonly has the name ‘ban the box’ that aim at reducing discrimination of qualified ex-convicts while applying for jobs (Entin, 2015). The use of ban the box is beneficial especially in the early stages of the hiring process when employers do not know their potential employees

The Prison Reform Trust, reported in 2013 that 68% of prisoners considered being in employment on release was an important factor in reducing reoffending.

Incarceration can sabotage a worker’s success in the working force by making them less productive, lack work experience, and impaired social interactions. Employers are less likely to hire an applicant with a criminal record because of the preconceived notion that by serving time in prison it makes inmates less productive. Also, time incarcerated and away from the labor force prevents inmates from earning work experience and job skills. According to Amanda Geller in The Effects of Incarceration on Employment and Wages “behavioral adaptations to the conditions of penal confinement may leave an inmate withdrawn, uncommunicative, and unable to accept

Employment is always an issue when it comes to an ex-offender. Not only is it hard for the everyday person in society to find employment due to a poor economy, but it is much harder for an ex-offender. While in prison, prisoners are usually made to work. Unlike other programs such as counseling, prison work programs can be justified for reasons other than rehabilitation of the individual offender. From the perspective of the policy maker in the criminal justice system, they can help manage the population by occupying the time of the prisoners, aid in the operation of the prison, create revenue (maybe), and provide a

According to Jones, the most challenging aspect of ODRC’s goal of reducing recidivism is employment of individuals once they are released from their institution back into the community. This relates back to the views of the community in that, much of society does not want to associate with ex-offenders. This includes within employment. Individuals who have been incarcerated have a much harder time finding employment than do most others due to their record. However, according to Jones, ODRC is combating this by creating connections with area employers who are willing to employ ex-offenders. Connections such as these, along with other connections with churches and reentry coalitions, are extremely useful for ODRC and a crucial contributor to its efforts. They assist in providing support and care for individuals reentering the community.

Many people living in poor neighborhoods might have been to prison, have had little to no education, or even health problems. There are over six million ex-convicts in the United States. Research proposes that the best way for them to stay out of prison again is to reintroduce them into the working world and finding them jobs, but most employers are hesitant in giving them a chance. With an unemployment rate approaching its highest, getting employed is challenging. If someone has been in prison, the chance of them getting a job decreases drastically. In chapter five of David K. Shipler’s The Working Poor: Invisible in America, Shipler emphasizes on attaining a job, maintaining a job, and living while employed to successfully construct his arguments

According to the National Bureau of Justice statistics on recidivism, it was found that within three years of release, about two thirds of released offenders were rearrested; of those rearrested, more than half were rearrested by the end of their first year of release (National Institute of Justice 2014). Most of the inmates are returning inmates, and have been caught in the vicious cycle of the system. Society does little to help reintegrate convicted offenders back into a normal lifestyle, making it difficult to find work and housing, while putting a strain on family members’ lives and relationships. The

After careful consideration and much thought, we have decided it is in our best interests to hire John Snow, although he is an ex-convict; he has already served his time. His credentials are notable, having recommendations from his previous employments as well as his university, while also having a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality. We have the right to believe that he is honest, and is willing to turn over to a new leaf, as he stated in his resume’ that he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, the lowest count of murder by state law and has served the maximum jail time for such a crime (http://criminal.findlaw.com/). For further clarification and reference, we have complied 2 other similar cases of hiring an ex-convict for

There are numerous studies that examine the recidivism rates in various states and in the nation. The studies come back with similar results. A Department of Justice study of recidivism in 30 states found that more than two-thirds (67.8%) of released prisoners were arrested for a new crime within three years and more than three-fourths (76.6%) were arrested within five years (DOJ Recidivism 2010). Other studies give similar numbers, including the fact that over half (51.8%) of people released from prison end up back behind bars (Jonson and Cullen 2015). These numbers indicate serious problems with prisoner reentry into society. Some scholars go so far as to claim that the results of various studies “reveal that inmate reentry is marked by widespread failure. High proportions of released offenders have contact with the law, often soon after reentry, and about half are reincarcerated,” (Jonson and Cullen 2015).

and Australia have similarities in the protection of individuals with a history of incarceration. In both cases, it is evident that the people suffer from similar problems. A criminal record can have a significant impact on a person's employment prospects. In both the U.S. and Australia individuals who have a criminal record often face significant barriers to fully participation in the society. Trying to find a job is one of the areas of greatest difficulty for former convicts. Everyone believes that no matter what a person's criminal record, each person's ability to fulfill that jobs requirement should be assessed on a case-by-case basis to avoid

As of 2014, the statistics on recidivism were unsettling. The Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted a study pertaining to the recidivism rate of 404,638 prisoners in thirty American states (National Institute of Justice, 2014). The study found that approximately two-thirds of the released prisoners were rearrested within three years after their release (National Institute of Justice, 2014). This ratio increased to three-quarters of released prisoners within five years after their release (National Institute of Justice, 2014). The majority of the study participants (more than fifty-six percent) were arrested within one year of their

It has been found that “when fully-trained…inmate workers leave prison, they carry with them credentials of achievement in job skills that meet requirements of today’s business.” In addition, the money that they earn carries several benefits; it can be used to buy daily amenities which will make their life in prison a little more pleasurable, they can also save money that will be extremely useful when they are released. Thus, not only are prisoners kept out of trouble by working, the money they earn benefits them in the present, as it will in the future and eases the burden on society that comes with housing prison inmates.

Everyone deserves a second chance. You should never judge a book by its cover. These are some of the things that should be considered when an employer considers hiring an ex-offender reentering society after release from the prison system. Once a criminal, always a criminal is not always the case. Some ex-offenders have proven to be loyal and trustworthy employees. As well as tax-paying individual who open their own businesses. There are positives and negatives to hiring someone with a criminal background. There are many concerns by employers to hire an ex-offender, such as negligent hiring. An ex offender is a person who has been convicted of criminal offense. Over 600,000 people are being released from prisons