Corrections_Today_September_October_2023_Vol.85_No.5

an individual convicted of public intoxication. Augustus convinced the court to release this individual from his cus tody with the promise he would return to court at his next scheduled appearance date. Augustus was a member of the Washington Total Abstinence Society that believed, “abus ers of alcohol could be rehabilitated through understanding, kindness, and sustained moral suasion, rather than through conviction and jail sentences. 4 After several weeks, Augustus was able to return this individual to the courts, as promised, a sober man. The man was allowed to go free. Over the course of his life, Augustus helped nearly 2,000 individuals. Today, more than 650,000 adults are released from prison in the U.S. every year, and they require support, particularly in finding employment. 6 Unemployment is a significant factor contributing to recidivism, and indi viduals with criminal records face unemployment rates at nearly 27% which is approximately seven times higher than the national average. 7 Addressing this issue is vital, not only for public safety but also for the economy, with an estimated $78–$87 billion GDP loss in 2014 due to the unemployment of justice-involved individuals. 8 Three group activities Throughout the workshop participants engage in three group activities, paralleling the cooking process of gumbo. The first step is making the roux, then preparing the vegetables, and lastly preparing the meat. These three steps are crucial to the gumbo’s flavor. A roux (/ru:/) is a mixture of flour and cooking oil (some use butter) that is mixed together in a cast iron pot and stirred constantly until it reaches a dark brown color. The roux is the secret to a tasty gumbo. This step is compared to the core issue of employment and the effects unemployment has on individuals with criminal backgrounds. Participants are divided into groups, and they write down the consequences of unemployment on a recipe card. This activity helps to drive home the impact unemployment has on an individual (regardless of crimi nal history). Just as the foundation of a good gumbo lies in the cooking of the roux, understanding how employ ment and unemployment affects our daily lives is critical to engaging employers and assisting those with criminal backgrounds obtain employment. The second step in cooking gumbo is preparing the vegetables. In Louisiana we call the selection of

vegetables the “trinity” — onions, celery, and bell pep pers. This step builds off the first step. Participants work in their groups to identify the barriers to obtaining em ployment for individuals with criminal backgrounds. The participants write their responses on recipe cards and time is allowed for each group to present their findings. The typical responses received are criminal record, lack of education, employer’s misconceptions, the stigma associ ated with a conviction, occupational licensing restrictions, internal policies and lack of experience — just to name a few. The third step, and final activity involves preparing the meat for the gumbo. Depending on the region, the meat selection varies. The typical gumbo consists of smoked sausage and chicken. However, there are variations that include seafood, boiled eggs, smoked turkey necks and other meats. In this group activity, participants are asked to list the benefits for employers who hire the formerly incarcerated. Just pay attention the next time you go out for dinner, and you will see “help wanted” signs at many businesses. Employers need good employees. Second chance hires work In many states there are more jobs than people, and we have seen a diminishing workforce. According to Jeff Korzenik, author of Untapped Talent: How Sec ond-Chance Hiring Works for your Business and the Community, “employers who hire second chance workers have access to a labor pool overlooked by competitors” and inaction by employers will “mean that staffing chal lenges will only get worse.” 9 The stakes are high and second-chance hires know finding employment after conviction can be very difficult. The loyalty and dedication studies have found regarding second-chance hires lead to employees that are highly motivated and want to be successful. A study by the Society of Human Resources Managers (SHRM) found that “85% of HR and 81% of business leaders say that individuals with criminal records perform the same as or better than employees without criminal records.” 11 The report went on to add second chance hires are highly loyal and productive employees saving companies money due to lower turnover rates. In addition to these benefits, there are programs like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) 12 and the

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