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Mass Incarceration Nation

Mass Incarceration Nation. The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of the world’s prisoners . In 1972, fewer than 350,000 people were being held in prisons and jails nationwide, compared to more than 2.3 million today .

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Mass Incarceration Nation

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  1. Mass Incarceration Nation • The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of the world’s prisoners. • In 1972, fewer than 350,000 people were being held in prisons and jails nationwide, compared to more than 2.3 million today. • 1 out of every 100 U.S. citizens is currently serving a prison sentence and 1 of every 20 U.S. citizens will serve time in prison in his/her lifetime. • African-Americans are nearly six times more likely to be incarcerated than whites; Latinos are nearly twice as likely to be incarcerated than whites.

  2. Most will be Released • Approximately 95% of the people in prison today will be released. More than 650,000 are released from federal and state prisons every year and 10 million are released from county jails annually. • After one year of release up to 60% are not employed • Over two-thirds of them will be rearrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within 3 years.

  3. Collateral Damage • More than half of all U.S. incarcerated individuals are parents to a child under the age of 18. • Nearly 50% of U.S. children have at least one parent with a record. • 70% of children with a parent in prison will follow in their footsteps. • Nationally it costs us about $31,000 per year for every individual incarcerated

  4. Iowa Statistics • Currently have over 8400 in prison today and another 28,000 in Community Corrections • 5000 are released each year with about one-third of them returning to Central Iowa • Iowa’s recidivism rate is just over 37%. • Approximately 8% of Iowa children have had or have a parent incarcerated and that works out to about 58,000 kids.

  5. The Challenge • Iowans released from prison face challenges at every level. The long-term impact of a criminal record prevents many of these individuals from obtaining employment, housing, higher education, and credit. • Employment is the #1 most important factor for decreasing recidivism.

  6. Why Hire People with a Record? • They’ve Already Served Their Time: Many people forget that job candidates with records have already served their sentence. They committed a crime, were sentenced by a judge, and served their prison term. In the eyes of the law, they were given a punishment for the crime and they did everything that was asked. • Companies want to hire the best available candidate; Many are truly changed by being in prison. Studies have found workers with records to be more productive than other workers and have less job turnover. • By giving a second chance the community is improved because crime is reduced. They have a much greater chance of succeeding on the outside when society is willing to accept them. • Harvard researchers observed that military members with felony convictions are promoted faster and were no more likely to be discharged.

  7. Why Hire People with a Record • Loyal workforce: People with a record tend to be loyal to employers who are willing to hire them. • They Aren’t As Dangerous As You Think: When most of us hear the word “felony,” we think of heinous acts committed by hardened criminalsbut only 4.5% of U.S. arrests involved violent crimes in 2014. • Incentives: There are incentives to employees who hire people with a record. Substantial tax credits are available for hiring persons with a record, such as the Federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Employers are also eligible to obtain a free fidelity bond funded by the federal government to protect them against employee dishonesty or theft.

  8. Fair Chance Hiring Practices • Eliminate blanket bans against hiring people with records and include a statement on the application form that criminal records do not automatically disqualify an applicant. • Remove the check box that asks if applicants have a criminal record from hiring applications. • Use reliable background check providers to help ensure accuracy. Half of the records in the FBI database are inaccurate. • Delay the background check at least until after the interview and preferably until a job offer has been made.

  9. Suggestions in Hiring People with a Record Assessing a conviction to make a reasoned judgment about risk is a fairly simple process. It involves checking a person’s criminal history against the following criteria: • Relevance of the offense to the job being applied for (For example, if the person was convicted of OMVI, a driving position might not be a good fit.) • How long ago the offense occurred • How many times the person has offended.

  10. Suggestions…………………. • Nature and seriousness of the offense. • Background to the offense. (For example, were circumstances such as drug addiction or homelessness present?) • Person’s attitude regarding the offense. (Do they accept responsibility for what they did?) • What has the person done since being convicted of the offense? (For example, while in prison or on probation was job training, treatment, education received?)

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