Understanding the Employment Needs of Ex-Offenders

1. Understanding the Employment Needs of Ex-Offenders Roshanna Singley Parker NC Department of Correction 2010 Drug Treatment Court Conference

2. National Perspective • 2 million offenders are incarcerated in the U.S. • One out of every 112 men and one in every 1,724 women are under state or federal supervision • 97% of offenders will leave prison and return to the community

3. Magnitude of the Problem • Approximately 30% of the nation’s adult population has a criminal record -U.S. Dept. of Justice – BJS • Nearly 65 Million People in the U.S. have a Criminal Record • This is a population that we can no longer ignore

4. Current NCDOC Population • Prison Population (8/30/10) • 40,308 • 37,347 Males • 2,961 Females • Probation population (08/30/2010) 108,669 • Prison Exits 4/1/2009-3/31/2010 29,087

5. Impact of Criminal History One consequence of the tremendous growth in the number of persons under supervision of the criminal justice system, whether incarcerated, on parole, or on probation, is the effect of this criminal history on finding and keeping a job.

6. Employment • Employment fills a vital need for most individuals; it provides income, social connection, and feelings of societal contribution and self worth. • These facts are no less true for Ex-Offenders

7. Importance of Employment • Stable employment is one of the best predictors of post-release success • With 700,000 people released from prison each year, there is a critical social and economic need to create policies that help newly released prisoners transition into their communities and maintain stable employment.

8. Factors Associated with Re-Arrest Experience, as well as assessment tools, help us to understand that certain situations or factors contribute to the likelihood of success or failure: Stable housing The nature of the person’s social network and associations The offender’s attitude and decision making processes Substance abuse/use Being productively employed***

9. Employment & Reintegration According to a recent study conducted by the US Department of Labor, most federal criminal justice experts believe that employment is the key to successfully reintegrating ex-offenders back into society.

10. Barriers to Employment • Criminal record • Drug or alcohol abuse • Employer biases • Job seeker's attitude • Mental health issues • No work history or gaps in employment • Unreliable transportation • Not enough education or training (job skills)

11. Employment barriers are generally created by the following: • Stigma and Fear • Questions about criminal history during the application and/or interview process • Licensure standards created by boards and commissions • Lack of knowledge about incentive programs such as Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Federal Bonding Program, and OJT

12. Employment and Recidivism • Those who are unable to get a job are three times more likely to return to prison than those who find steady employment. ABA Commission on Effective Criminal Sanctions, Second Chances in the Criminal Justice System: Alternatives to Incarceration and Reentry Strategies at 27. (2007) • Research suggests increased employment and job retention rates result in lower recidivism • A great benefit is to identify the industries where ex-offenders are more likely to gain and subsequently maintain employment

13. Offender Friendly Industries • Manufacturing • Construction • Food Services • Hospitality • Administrative and Support Services • Landscaping • Maintenance

14. Types of Job Skill Training Programs • Auto-Detailing • Landscaping • Solar Panel Installation • HVAC/Plumbing • Hospitality • Office Technology • Printing/Duplicating/Digital Copying • Commercial Truck Driving

15. Examples of Employment for Offenders • Prep/Line Cook • Screw Machine Operator • Barber/Cosmetologist • Customer Service Representative • Cable Technician • Home Audio and Entertainment Technician • Entrepreneur

16. Addressing Employment Barriers • Expand outreach and education in the employment sector as many are reluctant to hire felons • Educate employers on the value of using job developers • Endorse employer incentive programs that hire ex-offenders • Create additional training and apprenticeship programs that could provide opportunities for ex-offenders to learn trade skills and workplace expectations

17. Innovative Approaches Some States, such as New York, offer ex-offenders explicit statutory protection against employment discrimination. New York's statute (Article 23A of the Correction Law) makes it illegal to deny an ex-offender employment because of his criminal history unless the offender's convictions are directly related to the job he seeks or his employment would create an unreasonable risk to the safety of people or property.

18. Employment Program Models • Four programs across the country that prepare inmates and parolees for employment are • Safer Foundation in Chicago, • Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) in New York City, • Project RIO (Reintegration of Offenders) in Texas, and • Corrections Clearinghouse (CCH) in Washington State

19. Program Components • Basic services include • Education and vocational training • life skills training, • job preparation skills, • job placement, • social support, • and follow-up assistance.

20. Educational and Vocational Training Research indicates that offenders who participate in education and/or vocational training programs are more marketable for employment, infraction rates are reduced, and the reduction of recidivism among these offenders is approximately 22%.

21. Current NCDOC Initiatives • Work Release • Prisoner Re-entry Initiative (PRI) • Grantors: US Dept. of Justice & US Dept. of Labor • Certified Communications Program • Grantor: Governor’s Crime Commission • Offender Employment and Training Initiative • Grantor: NC Dept. of Commerce • Reentry Job Placement – Correction Enterprises • Grantor: Governor’s Crime Commission

22. Work Release Program • 35 Minimum custody facilities and 3 private facilities offer work release. • 1337 slots allocated for work release • 726 inmates assigned as of July 26, 2010.

23. Prisoner Re-entry Initiative (PRI) • Federal Grant • US Dept. of Justice & US Dept. of Labor • Purpose: to reduce recidivism (prison) • 20+ states have participated • NC grant period: July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2011 • 2 Counties: Mecklenburg, Nash/ Edgecombe • Target: serve 250 individuals in Mecklenburg Co. • Local Partners • NC Dept. of Correction • The Center for Community Transitions • NC Employment Security Commission • Employers, Trade Schools & Community Agencies

24. Prisoner Reentry Initiative • Funded through the US Dept of Justice and US Dept of Labor • Partnership with the Center for Community Transition • Designed to provide pre and post employment assistance to released offenders in Mecklenburg County • Job Developer housed at ESC • Grant ends June 2011

25. Certified Communication Prepares offenders for jobs by employing a unique entry-level, hands-on, gender-neutral approach to Basic Telecommunications, Network Cabling in Copper and Fiber Optic-Based Systems, Voice and Messaging Systems, and Home Entertainment Systems. The training will provide at least four industry-recognized certifications that will increase the marketability of the offenders upon release.

26. Certified Communication • Funded by the Governor’s Crime Commission • Collaboration between the North Carolina Department of Correction and the North Carolina Community College System. • Participating Prisons: Wake Correctional Center, Fountain Correctional Center for Women, New Hanover Correctional Center • Participating Community Colleges: Wake Technical Community College, Edgecombe Community College, Cape Fear Community College • Program is being incorporated into offerings through DOP Educational Services

27. Offender Employment & Training Initiative (OETI) • This project is designed to support offender employment through job preparation assistance and education and training opportunities. • Offender job developer positions in the ESC/JobLink Centers (One-Stop Centers) in ten NC counties – Wake, Durham, Guilford, Forsyth, Buncombe, Cumberland, Rowan, Pitt, Gaston, and Alamance, and one Job Placement Coordinator position in Mecklenburg County. • The Offender Job Developers will cultivate and educate a pool of potential employers, provide employability training, job seeking resources, and job coaching assistance to released offenders.

28. Offender Employment & Training Initiative (OETI) • Funded by the NC Department of Commerce • Partnership with local workforce development boards, ESC, JobLink • Host employment forums in all11 counties • Job Developer cultivates relationships with local employers to increase employment opportunities • Job Developers contact information provided

29. CE Reentry Job Placement • Job Placement Coordinator – Bonnie Boyette • Identify employment opportunities that match all of the Correction Enterprise industries • Meet with potential employers to discuss the skilled inmates exiting from CE and the Inmate Construction Program • Develop a marketing tool for employers

30. Correction Enterprises • Provides inmates with opportunities to learn job skills by producing goods and services for the NCDOC and other tax-supported entities • No money is provided to Correction Enterprises by the General Assembly • Correction Enterprises consists of 30 separate revenue producing operations across the state with 380 staff and 2100 inmate workers

31. License Tag Plant Paint Plant Print Plant Sign Plant Quick Copy Plant Woodworking Plant Sewing Plant Scotland, Columbus, Pender, Marion, Pasquotank Janitorial Products Harnett, Warren Metal Products Upholstery Reupholstery Optical Plant Laundry Plant Central, Craggy Meat Processing Cannery Correction Enterprises Plants

32. Education and Vocational Training Barriers • Linking institutional education and community-based education programs • Availability to provide previous assessment results and offender’s participation efforts in educational programs while incarcerated to community-based education programs • Resources continue to dimish as the offender population increases, thus limiting access to needed educational programs • Drug offenses that limits access to educational opportunities (Pell Grant,etc.)

33. Addressing Education and Vocational Training Barriers • Advance legislative reform that would repeal or clarify the federal financial aid prohibition for higher education so that the prohibition scope is smaller and ineligibility is not permanent • Create effective vocational programs that focus not only to improve ex-offenders’ job skills but also to improve job readiness, provide case management for other services, place ex-offenders in jobs, and continue to work with them for a follow-up period

34. Addressing Education and Vocational Training Barriers • Advocate for more resources to support needed educational programs for ex-offenders • Support collaborations among community organizations to link institutional education with community-based education programs • Collaborate with local governments, social service and community organizations to create job referral/search assistance programs and job training in your counties

35. Examples of Offender Job Training Programs • National Transitional Jobs Network • Building Jobs/Rebuilding Lives (The Home Builders Institute/The educational arm of the National Association of Home Builders) • Goodwill Industries – “JOTO” • Builders of Hope

36. Employment Resources (cont’d) • Employment Security Commission • WOTC, Federal Bonding • JobLink (One Stop Career Centers) • Department of Labor • Employment Information Handbook for Ex-Offenders • Goodwill Industries (Promising Practices)

37. Employment Resources • National H.I.R.E. Network (www.hirenetwork.org) • National Institute of Corrections (www.nicic.org) • Resources for Ex-Offender Job Seekers (www.iseek.org) • National Institute of Justice (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij)

38. Community Support for Offender Employment • Expand outreach and education in the employment sector as many are reluctant to hire felons • Endorse employer incentive programs that hire ex-offenders • Create additional training and apprenticeship programs that could provide opportunities for ex-offenders to learn trade skills and workplace expectations

39. The Hidden Workforce

40. Questions & Answers

41. Office of Transition Services Staff Monica L. Artis, Community Development Specialist email: monica.artis@doc.nc.gov (919) 716-3091 Vincent Gaddy, Community Development Specialist email: vincent.gaddy@doc.nc.gov (919) 716-3096 Roshanna S. Parker, Research and Evaluation Analyst email: roshanna.parker@doc.nc.gov (919) 716-3089 http://www.doc.state.nc.us/rap/OTS.htm