Author: Monica Logothetis, SE@UVA 2020 Fellow in Residence and Advisory Board Member

Mahatma Gandhi once stated, “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” As the Biden administration prepares to 'build back better,' it would be wise to remember  of our most vulnerable citizens: those who will be released from prison next year with a criminal record and find themselves looking for a job in the worst recession of the century. 

Even before COVID-19 decimated the economy, the outlook for formerly incarcerated individuals was particularly grim: at least people who go to jail will be arrested again within the same year. 

Why? For one thing, it’s really difficult for them to quickly secure a quality job. Formerly incarcerated people are nearly times more likely than the general public to be unemployed, and that unemployment rate is in the first two years after incarceration. 

How might the next administration increase job prospects for reentering individuals in the midst of a global recession? By taking a page from the history books.  A national treasure that played a critical role in spurring the economic recovery after the Great Recession, America’s community colleges are ripe for innovation and public-private investment at scale.

The solution I would put forth is an idea called Jail to Jobs, and it has two key parts: 1) offer community college instruction that aligns with local job market demand both inside and outside of prisons; and 2) create a national Business Studies Certificate specifically for re-entering individuals to signal to employers that they have met specific skills and background check requirements.

A variety of successful collaborations between community colleges and prisons already provide quality educational opportunities to inmates while they are incarcerated with impressive results: those who participate in higher education programs while in prison a 43% lower chance of recidivating than those who do not.  Given the success of in-prison community college partnerships, why not scale this proven model beyond prison walls to help reentering individuals train for and secure quality jobs in those critical two years after release? 

In addition to helping former offenders land jobs, this program would also help bolster America’s struggling community college system. Indeed we are at a juncture where swift action is needed to strengthen these precious community resources to reach their full potential; enrollment by 14.4% from 2010-2017 and, just since the pandemic, enrollment rates have dropped  (compared to 2.5% at four year colleges).  

One way to both boost community college enrollment and help incentivize employers to hire qualified formerly incarcerated candidates is through the creation of a national Business Studies Certificate. Following community colleges’ existing certificate-issuing model, the attainment of a Business Studies Certificate would indicate to employers that formerly incarcerated applicants have met background check and rigorous skills requirements. For example, the certificate could at once verify that a candidate has produced negative drug tests, complied with parole requirements, completed necessary technology assessments, passed professional development training, and successfully mastered a certain skill, such as welding. 

The case for creating such a certificate is further illustrated through conversations such as this exchange with a business owner, who asked to remain anonymous: 

“Would you hire an employee with a criminal record?”

“The answer is no.” 

“Why?”

“Because they’re criminals.” 

“What if they had some sort of national certification verifying that they had the skills and had rehabilitated?” 

“Then yes, I would consider it. But just hiring someone with a criminal record just out of the blue? No. I don’t want to sound like a bad guy but why would I want to? I honestly don’t have time to deal with anything like that. But yeah, I like the idea of third-party verification. I would consider hiring them with that.” 

Creating a Business Studies Certificate would also provide an added layer of assurance to companies that are open to hiring formerly incarcerated individuals, but are hesitant to adopt the highly controversial “ban the box” policy, which requires employers to remove questions that ask about an applicant's criminal history altogether.  

Looking forward, we’re going to need all hands on deck to rebuild the economy. That includes the contributions of over half a million formerly incarcerated individuals who will be trying to find work in 2021. The new administration should invest in community colleges to create jobs, reduce recidivism, and steer us towards the American Dream. 

About the Author: Monica Gray Logothetis (Col '08, Batten '09) is a 2020 Fellow In Residence at SE@UVA. She's interested in innovative approaches to closing the career opportunity gap, and her current research explores how community colleges can be catalysts for national criminal justice reform. She is also the Co-Founder & Chairwoman of , a national edtech nonprofit that connects under-resourced classrooms to diverse and dynamic career professionals over video chat.