By Patrick Price, Government Practice Section Executive Committee
There are numerous ways that the criminal justice system imposes disproportionate burdens on disadvantaged groups and serves as a barrier to advancement. For example, in a 2018 report entitled Why Prison Reform Matters in America, the Charles Koch Institute noted:
One of the arguments for prison reform has to do with reducing the number of people who are rearrested. Upon leaving prison, those who have been incarcerated face significant barriers to their success upon returning to our communities. It is estimated that in addition to the societal stigma these individuals face, there are more than 48,000 legal barriers that bar them from securing employment, housing, occupational licenses, and many of the foundational things needed to be a productive member of any community. Seventy-four percent of men released from prison are still searching for employment eight months after their release. These many barriers negatively impact public safety and inhibit those with a criminal record from achieving their full potential.
Governor Holcomb has already been active in this front by promoting Ban the Box on background checks and partnerships with The Last Mile.
The are many opportunities for businesses to support these efforts as well, including partnering with programs that offer services in prisons to help prepare incarcerated individuals for re-entry, such as The Last Mile, Arouet, or Prison Fellowship; or partnering with organizations that provide support to incarcerated and recently released individuals, such as PACE, New Leaf, Brothers Keeper, Trusted Mentors, or Churches Embracing Offenders.
If you would like to submit content or write an article for the Government Practice Section, please email Kara Sikorski at ksikorski@indybar.org.
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