Finding a job after completing a prison sentence is absolutely crucial to successfully reentering society. But a new report from the Prison Policy Institute confirms what we’ve always known: that the structural barriers to finding work for folks coming home from prison are significant.
According to the study, 27% of formerly incarcerated people are unemployed—that’s five times the unemployment rate of the general public. Yet, formerly incarcerated people want to work: 93% of formerly incarcerated people are actively looking for jobs.
The study also found that employers call formerly incarcerated applicants back 50% less often than they do applicants without histories of incarceration.
These concerning findings underscore the need for holistic, work-oriented programs like Ready, Willing & Able, which immediately provide paid work opportunities for people reentering society and improves overall rates of employment for formerly incarcerated individuals.