The next time you’re at the game, at the store, or anywhere out in public, look to your left. Then, look to your right. Chances are, you will find someone with a criminal record who has benefited from a second chance. It might even be you.
In fact, one in three adults in the United States has a record, about as many people who hold college degrees. In the last year alone, roughly 700,000 people finished their sentences and reentered our communities, looking for ways to contribute, improve their lives, and help others do the same.
There is no substitute for the dignity of work. At this moment, there are more than 7 million open jobs, waiting for people with the knowledge and skills to match. The American economy is doing well.
With continued job growth this year, there is much reason for optimism. A year after the landmark federal First Step Act, we see improving rehabilitation and re-entry opportunities for thousands of former inmates.
Locally, the Georgia Justice Project advocates on behalf of those in the criminal justice system and working to reduce barriers to re-entry through records expungement, employment support, and other legal and social services.
Fulton County’s Office of the Public Defender has an employment specialist program that connects prospective employers and people struggling to find jobs due to the thousands of consequences of an arrest or conviction.
Georgia’s legislators have also taken up criminal justice reform, pursuing changes to reduce institutional obstacles for people seeking a second chance while decreasing the prison population, investing in re-entry and substance treatment programs, and working to enhance public safety.
There is even more work to do. Georgia has the highest proportion of individuals on probation of any U.S. state, and the overall rate of those under all forms of correctional control. This, among many other issues endemic in the criminal justice system, imposes undue barriers on people looking to turn around their lives.
That’s why Koch Industries believes it is important to consider all available workers, evaluating potential employees on their potential and not their past. It’s also why we banned the box on employment asking about criminal history in 2015. For decades, Koch companies have recruited and hired individuals whose past criminal convictions have no bearing on their job performance.
This effort does not stop at the doors of Koch companies, which employ about 130,000 around the globe, including nearly 67,000 in the U.S., with a presence in 60 countries. Last January, Koch partnered with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) on the Getting Talent Back to Work initiative, providing a toolkit to other businesses as they implement more inclusive hiring practices across the board.
Organizations representing more than 50 percent of the American workforce have taken the pledge, including companies based in Atlanta like Georgia-Pacific, a Koch company, as well as CKS Packaging, an inspiring family-owned plastics business that has hired 130 second-chance employees over the last two years.
These businesses, trade associations, and nonprofits recognize that those with records also have the knowledge and skills to help their businesses succeed – and with millions of open jobs, there is no time to lose.
A survey by SHRM and the Charles Koch Institute found that while most businesses are largely willing to hire people with criminal records, only 5 percent of managers and 3 percent of HR professionals said their company actively recruits these individuals.
These are missed—but not lost—opportunities. In fact, the same survey found that 74 percent of managers and 84 percent of HR professionals are willing or open to hiring individuals with criminal records.
Apart from the limitless potential, these hires can help their coworkers achieve, companies cannot ignore the economic impact of providing second chances through employment—not just for the sake of giving second chances to people who want to turn around their lives, but also because it makes economic sense.
The U.S. loses nearly $87 billion in gross domestic product each year by excluding people with criminal records from the job market.
As a company working to help people improve their lives through products and services, Koch Industries has recognized that in order to succeed, we must help others acquire the knowledge and develop the skills to do the same.
It’s also why we support Safe Streets & Second Chances, an innovative program that combines real-time research with policy to develop individualized reentry plans for people who are transitioning from prison. We owe it to ourselves to ensure everyone is prepared to succeed.
Employers want to hire the right person for the job, regardless of whether that individual has a criminal record. There are tens of thousands of unemployed men and women across the country who face the stigma associated with a criminal record every day. It is time to help them so that they can help us.
Jenny Kim serves as Vice President of Public Policy for Koch Companies Public Sector LLC., which provides services to Koch Industries, Inc. and its affiliates. She manages public policy issues, including running the criminal justice reform portfolio.
