We appreciate what you do for us, thanks a lot. I'm a violent ex-offender in vocational school in Florida for HVAC. I have an armed bank robbery charge, 1st time offender. I also am bilingual in Spanish. I want to eventually start my own business but my charge makes it difficult for me to do residential air conditioning. I'm aware I could do commercial but it seems to be a lot of obstacles for me to even get into the field with my charge and even more issues getting a contractors license later due to money and my charge. Therefore, I've been considering auto mechanic technician course, where it appears there will be less of a hassle to get work and start my own business in that. So my question is, is it possible to get a really good opportunity as a auto mechanic tech with decent money and to start my own business in that despite my background or will I have better chances sticking to HVAC. Brother, I'm at the crossroads on this. I don't have a problem educating myself for a better life. It's just, being correct in the education for the situation that is. I could seriously take some sound advice and suggestions from you. I really appreciate this outlet you have provided for me and others.
Thanks man!
Ex-offenders and felons can consider tech careers
A: Hello, First of all, are you certain you cannot get a contractor's license? I meet too many ex-offenders and felons that assume that they are not eligible for certain types of employment because of their backgrounds. To be sure you can, contact the licensing board to inquire if your conviction prohibits you from being licensed. You can contact them here: Division of Professions Construction Industry Licensing Board 1940 North Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783 http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cilb/index.html With the large Hispanic population in Florida, there is opportunity for you to build a good HVAC business. Even if you choose an automotive career, you can either get a job working for larger automotive maintenance shops (Sears, Pep Boys, Strauss,) dealerships, independent garages or you could even start small and build a list of customers.
If you choose a job, be sure to let the employer know that you can be bonded. Ex-offenders and felons can be bonded by the Federal Bonding Program. Take a look at the videos below for more information. Technical careers are a great alternative to jobs for felons and ex-offenders. I hope this helps.
Jobs for Felons: What is the Federal Bonding Program?
Jobs for Felons: How to Get a Federal Bond
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Ex-offenders and felons can consider tech careers
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Every week, more than 10,000 prisoners are released from America’s state and federal prisons, equating to more than 650,000 ex-prisoners annually reintegrating into society, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. However, recidivism rates are extremely high with approximately two-thirds of ex-prisoners being rearrested within three years of release, according to the Recidivism Center. It’s estimated that nine million offenders return to prison annually.
It’s clear that there’s not enough support to help ex-prisoners stay out of the correctional system. This is just one element sustaining the disproportionate incarceration of African American males. The likelihood of an African American male being sentenced to prison in his lifetime is one in three, whereas for a Caucasian male it is one in 17, according to The Huffington Post. Similarly, African American females are being sentenced to prison at a far greater rate than Caucasian females.
The criminal justice system needs more resources to improve reintegration efforts and help ex-offenders find adequate jobs and housing so they’re less likely to re-offend. Helping ex-prisoners successfully reintegrate into society will not only reduce costly recidivism rates, but, in many cases, will help break the intergenerational cycle of criminality.
Improving Housing Options for Ex-Prisoners
Most ex-prisoners will return to the same communities they lived and socialized in before their arrest. In many cases, these are neighborhoods that have high rates of poverty and crime, leaving many residents feeling disenfranchised from society with little access to social support programs.
In a prior publication, “Prisoner Reintegration Challenges of Assimilation and Crime Desistance,” I concluded that most ex-prisoners returning to these communities will face uncertainty over their future and animosity from a predominantly unforgiving society, as well as a multitude of personal, social, and legal barriers that prevent them from leading law-abiding lives.
Finding safe and affordable housing is difficult for ex-prisoners who often face limitations on where they can live. Many times, low-income public housing is their only choice. These housing developments are often overrun with drugs, gang violence, and other criminogenic factors. Private housing is often not an option because ex-prisoners are exclusively barred from the private housing market due to the stigma of being an ex-felon.
In some cases, even the public housing market has banned ex-prisoners from renting or leasing an apartment, which can happen if the criminal conviction was drug-related, a sexual offense, or a crime of violence as outlined in the exclusionary policies of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. If ex-prisoners are forced to return to the same destructive environment that contributed to their initial incarceration, they will often submit to the same temptations and reoffend.
Barriers to Employment for Ex-Prisoners
Along with obtaining suitable housing, finding and maintaining employment can greatly improve an ex-prisoner’s odds of leading a crime-free, productive life. However, ex-prisoners face the society-wide stigma of being an ex-convict, which severely limits the number of sustainable job opportunities available to them.
Many employers conduct criminal history checks on prospective employees and reject anyone with a criminal history. In a somewhat dated, yet significant Urban Institute study from 2003, more than 90 percent of employers surveyed were willing to consider filling job vacancies with welfare recipients, while only about 40 percent were willing to consider hiring an ex-prisoner.
Companies in the retail and service sector that require contact with customers are among the most unlikely to consider hiring a convict. Employer reluctance is greatest when the offense in question was a violent one and least when it was a nonviolent drug offense.
Many ex-prisoners are limited to working inconsistent, low-wage jobs – such as in construction or manufacturing – that make it incredibly difficult to support themselves and their families. In addition, ex-prisoners are often mandated to pay further penalties including parole supervision fees, court costs, restitution, child support, drug-testing fees, counseling fees, and more.
To complicate matters further, finding employment opportunities can be especially challenging because many offenders have limited work histories. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than one third of all prisoners were unemployed at the time of arrest.
Educational Obstacles to Finding Employment
The National Reentry Resource Center concluded that only about half of incarcerated adults have a high school degree or its equivalent, compared with 85 percent of the adult population. In Prisoner Reintegration Challenges of Assimilation and Crime Desistance, I noted that most ex-prisoners do not have viable, marketable job skills, or sufficient literacy to obtain gainful employment.
To compound matters, many prisoners have a learning disability. According to Joan Petersilia, 11 percent of prisoners have a documented learning disability compared with only 3 percent of the general adult population.
While there are some educational opportunities available to inmates while they are imprisoned, only one third of all prisoners choose to participate. Educational programming, including specific classes that focus on GED preparation, adult basic education, and learning English as a second language, would collectively improve odds of employment.
There’s no doubt that more must be done to help break down the barriers that hinder ex-prisoners from leading law-abiding and productive lives. Helping them find adequate housing and providing educational opportunities that leads to gainful employment are all critical to successful reintegration and reductions in recidivism. However, ultimate change must come from the offender. The ex-prisoner can break the cycle of criminality only by changing his or her unlawful ways. Ex-prisoners must abstain from crime, substance abuse, and other problematic areas which put themselves at risk. They must also seek out opportunities to improve their situation and put in the work and effort to lead productive and lawful lives.
About the Author: Dr. Michael Pittaro is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice with American Military University and an Adjunct Professor at East Stroudsburg University. Dr. Pittaro is a criminal justice veteran, highly experienced in working with criminal offenders in a variety of institutional and non-institutional settings. Before pursuing a career in higher education, Dr. Pittaro worked in corrections administration; has served as the Executive Director of an outpatient drug and alcohol facility and as Executive Director of a drug and alcohol prevention agency. Dr. Pittaro has been teaching at the university level (online and on-campus) for the past 15 years while also serving internationally as an author, editor, presenter, and subject matter expert. Dr. Pittaro holds a BS in Criminal Justice; an MPA in Public Administration; and a PhD in criminal justice. To contact the author, please email IPSauthor@apus.edu. For more articles featuring insight from industry experts, subscribe to In Public Safety’s bi-monthly newsletter.
Jobs for Felons: Five Places Felons Can Find Jobs - Get a Job Quickly!
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At Abcor Industries we live out the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit. This is driven by my faith, which teaches that all people are of equal value, redeemable and entitled to the dignity that God intended when he created us.
After years of working in the corporate world, my desire to live a more meaningful existence continued to grow. With that in mind, entrepreneurship was the path to pursue this goal and I acquired Abcor Industries in Holland, Michigan.
Abcor has the technology for powder coating wood and is leading the drive for innovating higher performing wood materials.
Owning Abcor allows us the freedom to make decisions which improve people’s lives and drive an enterprise that contributes to the betterment of the planet. Additionally, we support important nonprofit entities, institutions and schools.
As a senior manager at publicly traded companies, I wasn’t able to deploy a felon hiring strategy — or consider anyone with a criminal history. With Abcor, we are breaking the stigmas and helping change people’s lives.
More than half of our production employees have been convicted of felonies and have served long sentences, hence repaying their debt to society. My intention is to continue to do everything possible to ensure they are productive members of a dynamic entrepreneurial company.
Productive employment is the leading force in their personal mission to build a new successful life as a responsible tax paying citizen. Productive employment is the leading factor in reducing recidivism. We are an important component of their life recovery. They are a vital part of our success.
Recently, I was invited to a forum on the subject of hiring re-entering citizens. At first, it was very encouraging to see so many human resource executives interested and open to the practice. However, each of the executives had a common theme of being only interested in “light felony” applicants. This was clearly driven by a risk mitigation approach.
Toward the end of the forum, they asked me to opine on their approach. They were surprised by my response that short sentence “light felony” applicants had a higher fallout rate and were more difficult to manage. Those who have served the longer sentences are very motivated, highly loyal and committed to the mission.
Currently, we at Abcor and other employers are urging the Legislature to pass bills currently before the state House Law and Justice Committee that would remove some barriers to employment and require objective reasons for denying parole to low-risk prisoners.
Right now, there are too many who remain incarcerated and present the lowest risk to public safety. The law requires that denying parole to people who present the lowest risk to public safety can only be based on objective reasonings. Subjective parole denial is immoral, and it’s wrong. Not only is it counter to our values, it also wastes millions of taxpayer dollars annually on keeping these low-risk prisoners locked up.
There remains much more the state of Michigan can do to help. It should continue to expand vocational training during incarceration, implement laws and financial benefits for bridging organizations that help the released find employment, housing and transportation. In my view, the Department of Corrections could and should become a powerful force by investing in these systems and have a positive impact on workforce development.
Every year, nearly 10,000 people return from prison to Michigan communities. Many are unable to find employment due to their criminal records, even though many employers face a shortage of available workers. There exists a significant opportunity to do better.
Those in position to do so, should construct systems, laws and enterprises to set the groundwork for personal recovery. There is a major win-win for society available to us all and we need to act upon it.
J.T. Weis is the owner of Abcor Industries in Holland, Michigan.
Jobs for Felons: The Facts about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons
Jobs for Felons: Give former felons a chance to work
Can I get a Professional Job with a Criminal Record?
Hello,
I have been trying to get a job with an insurance company or large
law firms and no one is calling me back. I assume it is because I was
arrested in 2002 and plead out to probation. I am not a convicted felon,
but that is still on my record. Also, I have an arrest for battery on
my record, but the case got thrown out. Can you really help? I received
an email from Allstate that they want to set up an interview with me
next week. Will this mess me up once they look up my background?
Mattie
Can I get a Professional Job with a Criminal Record?
Hello Mattie,
Let's start at the beginning. You state that you plead to probation, which means that you were convicted. I don't know what your conviction was for, but if you were convicted of any type of theft, fraud or robbery, some jobs may not be available to you.
In case of any other arrests, employers are more concerned with convictions rather that arrests. That is why the question on applications typically begin with. "Have you been convicted of a crime..." I encourage all ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs to get a copy of their criminal records so that they can answer this question honestly and accurately. The best place to get this is from your probation officer. I'm sure he/she can get a copy for you.
When your interview comes, as I advise everyone with a criminal record, answer every question honestly, but never volunteer information. If the question does come up on the interview like this, "I'm glad you are asking this question, because I want you to feel comfortable hiring me....." Then briefly explain the circumstance surrounding the infraction. Spend more time talking about the steps you have taken to overcome that situation.
Don't assume that your legal issues are the reason you are getting few call backs. Continue to apply for every job you qualify for for. Don't assume that because you have a record, you won't be considered.
I would also try to find out if expungement in your state. Expungement essentially means that your criminal record would be hidden from public view. Once that is done, you may claim not to have a record when responding to the "Have you ever been convicted....." question. Expungement is a legal process that you should not try alone. You should contact your local legal aid office to see if your state offers the opportunity for expungement. You may also qualify for free legal services.
Jobs for Felons: How Expungement can help Felons get Jobs
Jobs for Felons: Know your Rights Regarding Background Checks
Jobs for Felons: How to Make a Professional Resume
Jobs for Felons: How to get the Job you Want
Companies Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Felons | Jobs For Felons | Jobs For Ex-offenders | Jobs That Hire Felons | Resumes for Felons | Felon Friendly Jobs | Felon Friendly Employers | Jobs for Felons | Jobs For People That Have Felonies | Jobs For People With A Criminal Record
Can I get a Professional Job with a Criminal Record?
