First Posted: 2/26/2015
LIMA — People who are incarcerated pay immediately for the crime, but it doesn’t always end there.
After being released from jail, many ex-offenders can’t get a job and are, in effect, further punished for a crime they already did the “time” for, said Norman Robinson, deputy director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections.
Robinson, who spoke at a Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce Connections event on Thursday, prefers to call ex-offenders “restored citizens” and encouraged business people to “give them a chance.”
“I just want people to think about providing opportunities to restored citizens,” Robinson said.
The event, aimed at managers, also featured Randy Davies, president and CEO of the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce. Davies’ community has had success with a program that let’s companies into jails to meet potential employees and interview them.
Employers are starting to hire ex-offenders, but it is “cautious,” he said.
Conversations about hiring ex-offenders have been going on in the community for a few months and Nicole Scott, director of communications at the chamber, also said she thinks employers are looking into the topic.
Davies recommends employers have a discussion and work with their entire staff when considering hiring ex-offenders.
“You have to have that conversation,” he said. Tell employees “that we’re giving people second chances.”
With an aging workforce and baby boomers retiring, Davies said companies have a need to fill and ex-offenders do too.
“Why not take advantage of a well qualified and many times highly educated workforce?” Davies said.
Approximately 22,000 of the about 51,000 currently incarcerated people in Ohio will be released this year, Robinson said, and they may be able to fill a void in the workforce, they come with a support system, can be federally bonded and offer their employer the opportunity to use the Work Opportunity Tax Credit.
People make mistakes, Robinson said. He’s just asking people to “entertain” the idea of hiring restored citizens.
“At least give this person an opportunity,” Robinson said. “You’re going to like them enough that you’re going to want these people.”
