Ex-Offenders/Re-Entered Citizens
Employers can make a significant impact in transforming a criminal liability into a community asset.
Unemployed ex-offenders are at a greater risk of re-offending compared to employed ex-offenders. Recidivism
is higher for these individuals primarily because they cannot find a job paying a livable wage.
- Disparities amongst race and gender for unemployed formerly incarcerated people that are available to work yet remain unable to find secure jobs based on their past incarcerations, leads to a higher recidivism rate.
- 70% of children with an incarcerated parent will follow in their footsteps.
- In 1972, fewer than 350,000 people were being held in prisons and jails nationwide. Today, more than 2 million are being held.
- Each person who is incarcerated costs the American taxpayer an average of $31,000 a year.
- One year after release, up to 60% of people convicted of a crime are not employed, according to the National Institute of Justice.
- Approximately 5,000 men and women are released from Iowa prisons each year.
- 95% of incarcerated individuals in state prisons will be released back into their communities.
Benefits of Hiring Ex-Offenders
- They could be the best available candidate from the talent pool you have.
- Giving workers a second chance reduces the rate of recidivism.
- Improving your community — the impact to the community and state you live and work in can be in the billions of dollars by tapping into this talent pool.
Resources
Employer Funding