Running A Biz After Doing Time
This year, nearly 700,000 people will be released from state or federal prisons. They will join the worst economy in decades, many of them with limited education and little or no legitimate employment experience. And a criminal record will make it that much harder to find a job.
Yet newly released prisoners need to work, not just to support themselves or their families, but also because having a job correlates with staying out of trouble. One study, in December 2006, found that 89 percent of people who violate the terms of their parole or probation were unemployed.
“We try to help these guys realize that the skills they already possess from illegal ventures have real value in the business world,” explains Catherine Rohr, founder and chief executive of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, based in Houston. “Major drug dealers are already proven entrepreneurs.”
Since the program’s inception, 441 men, roughly a quarter of whom had been incarcerated for violent crimes, have graduated. Just over 8 percent have returned to prison — nationally, the recidivism rate exceeds 25 percent.
Photo by svilen001.
Jaclyn on March 5th, 2009 12:19 pm
That is very true…most of the prisoners crime has some legitimate business knowledge behind it somewhere…all they have to do is apply it to something that is not illegal. my only thought on them entering the work force and possibly starting up their own companies is the even more possibilities and access to resources and money that could possibly encourage them to do more illegal activity.
Darren on March 6th, 2009 11:17 am
Having worked as a correctional officer for over 17 years including in High Risk Maximum Security prisons. I have to say that if criminals applied the skills in leadership, planning, sales, motivation etc to legal activitie, we would no have prisons filled to capacity. We would have a lot of very wealthy law abiding citizens. Unfortunately a lot of inmates I suggested this to replied that it was easier to commit crime. I said yes, but the occupational pit falls mean that you lose your freedom and end up in gaol. My statement was proven by a small number of inmates who left the prison system and became very successful business men and law abiding citizens.
In my view all inmates should have to do some type of work, be paid a proper wage which includes having taxes taken out and then also pay rent for their cells, pay for the water, pay electricity, pay for their food just as people would in the world out side of prisons. The should also be taught mandatory life skills such as budgeting, shopping, cooking etc. Otherwise prisons do not rehabilitate they just turn out better criminals.
Hexster on March 6th, 2009 9:01 pm
The problem is that most people have the same opinion/concern that Jaclyn has and hence almost opportunities for ex-cons are not there. This, of course, only leads to recidivism. I concur with Darren.
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