Employment — Civil Society Issues — Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

People with criminal records deserve a second chance — and business can help provide it

“The new JPMorgan Chase PolicyCenter’s first initiative will help reduce barriers to employment for people with criminal backgrounds. One-third of Americans have a criminal record. A criminal record can be a major barrier to employment. In fact, the unemployment rate is an estimated 27 percent for the five million formerly incarcerated people in the U.S. — more than five times the overall national rate. More than 600,000 people are released from prison each year. We all must do our part to help formerly incarcerated people support themselves and their families by connecting them with opportunities to work and pathways to lead stable and productive lives.“

The Hill

November 5, 2019

Civil Society Solutions, EmploymentPhillip ReevesNovember 5, 2019The Hill, JPMorgan ChaseComment

It’s hard to land a bank job if you have a record. But JPMorgan Chase tells people in Chicago with criminal records: ‘We’re hiring.’

“The nation’s largest bank by deposits has partnered with several Chicago nonprofits to mentor, train and recruit applicants who might otherwise not have considered banking because they thought their criminal records would preclude them from working at financial institutions. Since launching the pilot a month ago, Chase said it has made nine offers for positions such as associate bankers, personal bankers and remittance processors. The recruits tended to have records for drug possession or driving under the influence.“

Chicago Tribune

October 21, 2019

Employment, Civil Society SolutionsPhillip ReevesOctober 21, 2019Chicago Tribune, JPMorgan Chase, ChicagoComment

Kurt Evans Is Cooking to End Mass Incarceration

“Learning from and underscoring the brilliance of cooks like his grandmother inspires him when creating menus for his EMI dinners. Evans has hosted over 25 dinners, featuring dishes like piri piri prawns and roasted cauliflower and fonio salad, alongside a "chi chi," or a "correctional cake,” a microwaved cake made from commissary ingredients like M&M’s, Oreo cream filling, and mayonnaise, which acts a binder. Evans hopes to show diners the creative depth and ingenuity of incarcerated people, through the lens of cooking. The intent is not to objectify, but rather to illustrate the nuanced reality of the prison experience. “These people are really passionate and resilient," he says.“

Food & Wine

September 13, 2019

Civil Society Solutions, EmploymentPhillip ReevesSeptember 13, 2019Drive Change, Kurt Evans, New York City, Philadelphia, Food and WineComment

Everyone at this new advertising agency has served time in prison

“The original idea for ConCreates came to Bragg while serving time. While in prison, ConCreates contributor Joe Nickson consulted with MeUndies cofounder Jonathan Shokrian on a few campaigns. ‘We were able to give that founder some ideas that took his company from doing $50,000 in sales a month to $934,000 with only two campaigns,’ says Bragg. ‘That was the birth of ConCreates’.“

Fast Company

July 17, 2019

EmploymentPhillip ReevesJuly 17, 2019Fast Company, ConCreatesComment

The Next Big Celebrity Chef? This Former Gang Member

“The traditional Mexican entree that Ruiz deployed to beat Bobby Flay, chiles en nogada, is a dish from the 1800s that combines the Mexican flag’s colors — red, white and green. “To be able to beat him, kind of at his own game, at his own style of cooking, Southwestern Mexican, and for it to be a unanimous decision on the judges’ part, blew me away,” Ruiz says. Since the show aired in March, Ruiz has been inundated with offers. “I didn’t know what to do,” Ruiz says. “I wanted to leave. I wanted to [head for] the mountains and hide for 30 days. I never thought this was going to happen.”“

Ozy

June 28, 2019

Civil Society Solutions, EmploymentPhillip ReevesJune 28, 2019OzyComment

Ohio Restaurateur Founds Hot Chicken Takeover, Hires Ex-Cons

“In 2013, Joe DeLoss founded Hot Chicken Takeover in Columbus, Ohio. HCT is a “Nashville Hot Chicken” restaurant that has nearly 50 employees, 70% of whom have had trouble finding work due to criminal records or other issues. DeLoss has also worked to establish other programs to help such people, such as food service training and financial aid programs. Since then, two other HCT locations have opened in Columbus.“

Prison Legal News

June 5, 2019

EmploymentPhillip ReevesJune 5, 2019Prison Legal News, OhioComment

No Background Check, Drug Test or Credit Check. You’re Hired!

“He cited job interviews as one example. ‘The candidate may not be so great at making eye contact and smiling. Does that mean he can’t stack brownies onto a pallet?’“

New York Times

May 29, 2019

EmploymentPhillip ReevesMay 29, 2019New York Times, Greyston Bakery, YonkersComment

Long Island City’s Fortune Society helps the formerly jailed find employment, one necktie at a time

“‘I can tell you what it meant for me when I came home from prison and tied my first tie,’ The Fortune Society Executive Vice President Stanley Richards said. ‘It meant there was an acknowledgment of my humanity and my participation in society’.“

Queens News Service

May 3, 2019

EmploymentPhillip ReevesMay 3, 2019Queens News Service, Queens, New York City, Fortune SocietyComment

Sharp Dressed Man gives tailored suits to those in need

“A homeless veteran living in Baltimore, Mr. Freburger would usually have difficulty securing such an outfit, especially one selected for him personally. But in this instance, he was referred to the nonprofit Sharp Dressed Man. Since 2011, the organization has been helping men improve their lives by equipping them for job interviews and other occasions with well-fitting suits and accessories. This isn’t a “grab any jacket off the rack” kind of experience; rather, the nonprofit provides a measure-to-fit, personalized styling experience.“

Christian Science Monitor

January 17, 2019

Civil Society Solutions, EmploymentPhillip ReevesJanuary 17, 2019Christian Science Monitor, Sharp Dressed ManComment

How Atlanta Is Turning Ex-Cons Into Urban Farmers

“‘These young people are looking for love, understanding and empowerment,’ Henderson told a local television reporter. ‘As soon as we concentrate on giving them those three things, the sooner crime will decrease, and we’ll see these people soar’.“

Politico

December 6, 2018

EmploymentPhillip ReevesDecember 6, 2018Atlanta, Politico, Gangstas to GrowersComment

How Businesses Contribute To The Second Sentence Of The Formerly Incarcerated

“The second sentence of the formerly incarcerated is a stigma that each of us contributes to. It begins the moment a returning citizen is released. Sometimes the second sentence is easy to recognize, like the ‘have you ever been convicted of a crime’ question on an employment application. Other times, it is harder to identify, like when we cross the street to avoid a homeless person asking for spare change.“

Forbes

October 9, 2018

Civil Society Solutions, EmploymentPhillip ReevesOctober 9, 2018Forbes, Florida, Operation New HopeComment

Chef-Activist Kurt Evans Will Staff His Upcoming Pizzeria With Ex-Offenders

“Chef Kurt Evans is taking the idea behind his End Mass Incarceration dinner series several steps further with Down North, his upcoming North Philly pizza shop. The restaurant, at 28th and Lehigh in the city’s Strawberry Mansion section, will employ ex-offenders in a move to help former prisoners reenter the community and find work. He hopes it have it up and running in mid-November.“

Eater Philadelphia

September 14, 2018

Employment, Civil Society SolutionsPhillip ReevesSeptember 15, 2018Eater Philadelphia, PhiladelphiaComment

Big Tech's Newest Experiment in Criminal-Justice Reform

"Now more than 100 Slack employees have visited San Quentin to meet and mentor people enrolled in The Last Mile’s coding program. And Butterfield offered up his company as the test case for getting prison-trained coders into high-growth start-ups, something that has not really worked yet."

The Atlantic

August 29, 2018

Civil Society Solutions, EmploymentAnthony BradleyAugust 31, 2018The Atlantic, Slack, Silicon Valley

Torpy at Large: When old crimes kill a new man’s career dreams

"Georgia is a “right to work state,” meaning companies largely have free rein to do as they please. Companies argue they want to know whether their employees are a threat to other employees. And they worry about liability."

Atlanta Journal Constitution

August 27, 2018

EmploymentPhillip ReevesAugust 28, 2018Atlanta Journal Constitution, Georgia

The federal government markets prison labor to businesses as the “best-kept secret”

"About 17,000 inmates at federal prisons work at more than 50 government factories, farms, and call centers across the country, according to the latest annual report published by the DOJ program Federal Prison Industries, also known as Unicor. Prisoners make air filters, clothes, lamps, and office supplies for wages that range from 23 cents an hour to $1.15 an hour."

Vox

August 24, 2018

EmploymentAnthony BradleyAugust 27, 2018Vox, Prison Strike

After Prison, Working Toward a Healthier Food Future

"The United States leads the world in both food waste and mass incarceration. In response, L.A. Kitchen’s founder and president, Robert Egger, developed an organizational model that confronts the overlapping social injustices of both."

KCET

August 22, 2018

Civil Society Solutions, EmploymentAnthony BradleyAugust 24, 2018KCET

At San Quentin Prison, 'The Last Mile' Leads to Silicon Valley

"Initially, The Last Mile was a six-month program intended to help participants create a business that included a technology angle and a social cause. By 2014, it launched the first coding program inside a US prison and now aims to have 500 classrooms within the next 10 years."

PC Magazine

August 13, 2018

Civil Society Solutions, EmploymentAnthony BradleyAugust 14, 2018PC Magazine, California, San Quentin

Why We Need More Journalism Courses Taught in Prison

"Journalism education can help create a bridge between those incarcerated and the world outside. For those incarcerated, the study of journalism can provide tangible skills, such as writing, critical thinking, social skills, and a foundation in ethics that are invaluable on the outside, regardless of profession."

Nieman Reports

August 9, 2018

Access to Outside World, EmploymentAnthony BradleyAugust 10, 2018Nieman Reports

Prisoners Help Train Future (K9) Law Enforcement Officers

"Puppies Behind Bars (PBB), a nonprofit founded in 1997, trains prisoners to raise both service dogs and explosive detection dogs. The future K9 officers enter prison at the age of eight weeks and live with their prisoner-trainer for about two years. According to the PBB’s website, the program 'gives inmates the opportunity to contribute to society rather than take from it, and lets law enforcement see that inmates are capable of doing something positive for the community'."

Prison Legal News

August 7, 2018

Every Run Doesn’t Need to End in a Crash

"Rick Aguilar was facing ten years in prison and for many in his situation there would be two options upon release: return to prison or die back on the street. Aguilar found and developed his own skills while in prison, positioning him for a third option when he was released."

Charles Koch Foundation

July 31, 2018

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