Overcriminalization significantly undermines human flourishing and social well-being by harming the family, social networks, and social citizenship. Additionally, it prevents capable men and women from utilizing their creative capacities in the marketplace. This creates vast issues involving relations with family while incarcerated and reintegration into society after release. On the economic side, draconian cash bail systems undermine justice through basing someone's ability to attain pre-trial release upon their wealth, not their actual threat to society.
“Across the country, more than 10,000 regulations restrict people with criminal records from obtaining occupational licenses, according to a database developed by the American Bar Association. The restrictions are defended as a way to protect the public. But Lincoln and others point out that the rules are often arbitrary and ambiguous.“
Washington Post
September 3, 2019
Read More“One of the most daunting challenges for former offenders reentering society is finding a job. The unemployment rate the first year after release among ex-convicts is around 60 percent, much higher than for the rest of society. The difficulty of finding stable, legal employment after release exacerbates the consequences of the initial crime.“
Catalyst
July 25, 2019
Read More"Using a nationally representative dataset, we provide the first ever estimate of unemployment among the 5 million formerly incarcerated people living in the United States. Our analysis shows that formerly incarcerated people are unemployed at a rate of over 27% — higher than the total U.S. unemployment rate during any historical period, including the Great Depression."
Prison Policy Initiative
July 16, 2018
Read More"Many states have 'blanket bans' on ex-criminals obtaining licenses, while others use 'good character' requirements that allow licensing boards to arbitrarily exclude ex-criminals. These laws make it harder for people out of prison to adjust to society, and therefore make it more likely that people re-enter the prison system."
The Tennessee Star
July 15, 2018
Read More"The House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development has advised states to review their licensing laws. Strict licensing requirements have cost the economy 2.85 million jobs, according to The Hamilton Project, a research group within the liberal Brookings Institution."
The Marshall Project
July 10, 2018
Read More"Half the states bar ex-cons from getting the occupational licences they need to re-enter the workforce. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say it doesn't make sense."
NBC
May 26, 2018
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