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Description

Today approximately 77 million Americans, or 1 in 3 adults have a criminal record. While not everyone represented in this statistic has experienced incarceration, it serves to highlight that the barriers formerly incarcerated people face finding quality jobs are far more commonplace than we might think. Many returning citizens, who worked for little or no pay while incarcerated, will struggle to find quality jobs after release. Discrimination against those with a record, restrictions on what occupational licenses are available to those with a record, existing debts, punitive court supervision policies, and lack of support to meet basic needs in areas such as housing can force those leaving incarceration into dead-end, low-paying, and exploitative jobs. Some will find they are barred from doing the  jobs they worked or were trained to do while incarcerated. And many more lacked opportunities to participate in education or training opportunities while incarcerated.

But across the country, innovative efforts are underway to revamp our re-entry system by opening up access to good jobs.  New laws to wipe criminal records and address occupational licensing barriers, legal action aimed at discrimination, and a growing coalition of  employers and union leaders are showing that providing a second chance is possible.

In this virtual event — hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program on February 26, 2025 — we explore the opportunities and challenges accessing good jobs for people after incarceration. Our conversation features opening remarks from Sappho Fulton (Womxn Beyond Borders), followed by a panel discussion with Daryl V. Atkinson (Forward Justice), Beth Avery (National Employment Law Project), Sharon Dietrich (Community Legal Services), Minna Long (Washington State Building & Construction Trades Council), Gina Schaefer (A Few Cool Hardware Stores), and moderator Jamiles Lartey (The Marshall Project).

This discussion is the second in our two-part series, “Work Behind and Beyond Bars: Improving Job Quality During and After Incarceration.” Our first discussion, “A Hidden Workforce: Prison Labor, Human Rights, and the Legacy of Slavery,” is available here.

For more information, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/re-entry-and-good-jobs-building-the-second-chances-we-all-believe-in/ 

For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to EOP’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AspenEOP

Or subscribe to the “Opportunity in America” podcast to listen on the go: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspeneop

Join us March 19 on Zoom for our next event, “Driving the Economy: The Essential and Undervalued Work of Truckers”: https://aspeninstitute.zoom.us/webinar/register/8017407589760/WN_VamBysDcQf6DbDg73R2DfA

Opportunity in America

Opportunity in America, an event series hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program, considers the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country. The series highlights the ways in which issues of race, gender, and place exacerbate our economic divides, and ideas and innovations with potential to address these challenges and broaden access to quality opportunity.

Learn More

The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. Follow us on social media and join our mailing list to stay up-to-date on publications, blog posts, events, and other announcements.