The U.S. Department of Labor announced today it is offering more than $20 million in grants to organizations that will help former prisoners find work in an effort to reduce recidivism and boost employment.
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Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis pointed out in the announcement that those who have served their time deserve a second chance to make a positive contribution to society. There are 700,000 inmates released from prisons each year.
It is said the grants will target organizations in high-poverty, high-crime communities that provide employment opportunities, vocational training and mentoring, among other things.
"These will help a lot of these former inmates in my opinion become law-abiding citizens and taxpayers," Solis said following a roundtable discussion with community leaders in Newport-News, Va.
Justice Fellowship aggrees with Solis, who said former prisoners who can't find work make their communities less safe because they often return to a life of crime or substance abuse and frequently end up back in prison. "Good things can happen if the appropriate tools are made available," Solis said.
For more information regarding applying for these grants visit here. |
