Job Fair Offering Second Chances Has Several Takers

A job fair for ex-offenders in Houston, Texas, that organizers thought would attract several hundred people had more than 3,000 in attendance, according to a report by CNN.

Giving people with prison records a chance to succeed and be a productive part of the work force is in the interest of all of us, said Houston City Council Member Jarvis Johnson. “If ex-criminals can’t find jobs, they’re more likely to land back in prison,” he added.

One of the vendors offering positions was Certified Traffic & Flagger Solutions of Texas. Don Jones, the president and general manager, said “I’m a second-chance company. I believe that anybody, once they’ve been incarcerated ... we need to give them a second chance.”

After the day’s success, organizers said they are already planning a follow-up.

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For more information about how to help prisoners make a successful return to communities, visit Justice Fellowship’s resource page on Clemency and Overcoming Barriers to Reentry and Prisoner Reentry.