No one knows for sure how many Americans have been convicted of a crime. But the number is in the millions, making the formerly incarcerated a significant portion of the population. Once these men and women have served their time, they find their troubles aren't over. It's exceptionally hard for former convicts to get a job, which is bad news for those individuals, for society and for the economy.
Governments have come up with all sorts of schemes to get former prisoners back into the workforce, to reduce recidivism and turn former criminals into productive members of society. But employers are often nervous about hiring them, for all sorts of reasons, and the evidence for post-conviction employment programs is mixed.
But one idea shows a lot of promise. Today on The Indicator, we tell the story of a piece of paper that could provide the key to post-prison employment. A rehabilitation certificate.
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