Corrections_Today_November_December_2021_Vol.83_No.6

n Job Training

new crimes or supervision violations through 2019, data from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correc- tion found that Nearly one in three Ohioans returned to state prison within three years of getting out (Bischoff, 2021). Ohio’s current inmate count is currently over 43,000 with about 21,000 being released each year. With the average cost of incarcerating someone in an Ohio state prison at$83.72 per day, or $30,558 a year, more people landing back in prison is costing taxpayers mil- lions of dollars. This is an issue that applies not only to the State of Ohio, but around the country. According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, in any given year between 1.7 to 1.9 million people remain out of the workforce due to their criminal background, which comes at an annual cost of between $78 billion-$87 bil- lion in gross domestic product (Barber & Bucknor, 2016). With the total cost of government expenses on public prisons and jails over $80 billion, there is much work to be done in this area (Wagner & Rabuy, 2017). Employment is one of the first aspects of reentry upon leaving prison. However, restrictions to employment based on a person’s criminal record may be automatic or subject to the discretion of employers and other decision- makers, which often results in individuals getting passed over. Using data obtained from in-depth interviews with employers who have considered hiring people with a

felony on their record in the Baltimore Metropolitan area, one phenomenological study yielded findings that percep - tion, trust, lack of work readiness skills, negative past interactions and media reporting played significant roles in employers’ hiring decisions (Oluwasegun & Ritter- Williams, 2019). The study further revealed employers recognize restorative citizens need assistance with basic workplace skills, but the risk of backlash from customer perceptions was a major concern. In another survey of employers regarding their attitudes toward hiring job applicants with criminal records and their hiring prac- tices, Holzer et al. (2004) found employers were strongly averse to hiring those with violent offenses and not enthusiastic about hiring the recently released without work experience. These findings are common barriers that still exist today for both clients and the workforce development instructors who assist them. While it is true employment-related collateral consequences are often jus- tified as regulations necessary to ensure public safety as it relates to a specific job, half of all collateral consequences may be triggered by any felony and nearly a quarter may be triggered by any crime. This suggests states have room to create a more linear connection between the duties and responsibilities of a particular job and the current public safety risk that could be triggered by a person’s past con- viction (Justice Center, 2021). Current incentives One area of promise that has

been around for some time, but is still underutilized is the Federal Bonding Program, Work Opportu- nity Tax Credit and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The Federal Bonding Program is, essentially, insurance at zero cost to any employer who hires a job seeker that has a felony on their record. This program was formu- lated by the federal government to alleviate concerns from employers who were reluctant to hire clients for fear of theft or damage. Bonds are issued from the federal govern- ment in $5,000 increments and up

istock/Dilok Klaisataporn

20 — November/December 2021 Corrections Today