strongernow
04-30-2004, 09:45 AM
In prison, but ready for a job
Corrections, labor departments assist inmates near release
By CARLOS CAMPOS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/28/04
Carol Parr is looking for a decent job. But first she needs to get out of prison.
Parr and other Georgia prison inmates were encouraged Wednesday to find out there are employers willing to hire them. About 125 inmates — all felons with three to six months left on their sentences — attended a job fair at Metro State Prison in southeast Atlanta.
Every week, about 350 inmates are released from Georgia prisons. Helping inmates secure legitimate jobs is critical to making sure they don't return to the state's crowded prison system, the sixth-largest in the nation.
"We've had some people say, 'Why are y'all over there helping convicted felons when other people are out of work?' And that's a fair question," said state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, who attended the fair held in the prison gymnasium. "This will help create a safer Georgia. Recidivism is directly tied to the inability to find honest work."
About one-third of Georgia prison inmates are back behind bars within three years after their release. A study done for the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles last year showed that an inmate out on parole who holds a steady job is 3.5 times less likely to be arrested again than one who is not employed.
Parr, 41, serving a one-year theft by taking sentence at Washington State Prison in Middle Georgia, spoke with a representative of the 755 Restaurant Corp. — 19 Krispy Kreme doughnut shops and Church's and Popeye's chicken franchises owned by baseball legend Hank Aaron.
Parr, who wore khaki pants and a blouse with "State Prisoner" stenciled on the back in black letters, told Darlene Coachman of 755 Restaurant Corp. that she helped manage a fast-food restaurant in Mississippi before going to prison.
Coachman took notes as she asked Parr details about her former job duties and what she liked and disliked about her work. The two agreed to talk again when Parr is paroled in July.
"It's nice to have this [job fair] here to give you an edge instead of getting out and then start looking," said Parr, who plans to live in Peachtree City.
Though many fast-food jobs are low-paying, Coachman noted that 40 percent of the company's managers started out as cooks and cashiers. Coachman said Aaron believes it's important to hire qualified former inmates as part of being a good corporate citizen.
Before allowing the inmates to speak with potential employers, job counselors talked to inmates about how to create a résumé, dress for an interview and project a positive image.
Debbie Holcomb of the state Labor Department told some of the women that prison has taught them discipline, teamwork, how to take orders and how to work with diverse people.
"Let them know you were in prison, that you served your time," Holcomb said. "And then turn right around and say, 'But I'm dependable. I'm hardworking. . . . If you will give me a chance I'll prove it to you.' "
Corrections, labor departments assist inmates near release
By CARLOS CAMPOS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/28/04
Carol Parr is looking for a decent job. But first she needs to get out of prison.
Parr and other Georgia prison inmates were encouraged Wednesday to find out there are employers willing to hire them. About 125 inmates — all felons with three to six months left on their sentences — attended a job fair at Metro State Prison in southeast Atlanta.
Every week, about 350 inmates are released from Georgia prisons. Helping inmates secure legitimate jobs is critical to making sure they don't return to the state's crowded prison system, the sixth-largest in the nation.
"We've had some people say, 'Why are y'all over there helping convicted felons when other people are out of work?' And that's a fair question," said state Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond, who attended the fair held in the prison gymnasium. "This will help create a safer Georgia. Recidivism is directly tied to the inability to find honest work."
About one-third of Georgia prison inmates are back behind bars within three years after their release. A study done for the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles last year showed that an inmate out on parole who holds a steady job is 3.5 times less likely to be arrested again than one who is not employed.
Parr, 41, serving a one-year theft by taking sentence at Washington State Prison in Middle Georgia, spoke with a representative of the 755 Restaurant Corp. — 19 Krispy Kreme doughnut shops and Church's and Popeye's chicken franchises owned by baseball legend Hank Aaron.
Parr, who wore khaki pants and a blouse with "State Prisoner" stenciled on the back in black letters, told Darlene Coachman of 755 Restaurant Corp. that she helped manage a fast-food restaurant in Mississippi before going to prison.
Coachman took notes as she asked Parr details about her former job duties and what she liked and disliked about her work. The two agreed to talk again when Parr is paroled in July.
"It's nice to have this [job fair] here to give you an edge instead of getting out and then start looking," said Parr, who plans to live in Peachtree City.
Though many fast-food jobs are low-paying, Coachman noted that 40 percent of the company's managers started out as cooks and cashiers. Coachman said Aaron believes it's important to hire qualified former inmates as part of being a good corporate citizen.
Before allowing the inmates to speak with potential employers, job counselors talked to inmates about how to create a résumé, dress for an interview and project a positive image.
Debbie Holcomb of the state Labor Department told some of the women that prison has taught them discipline, teamwork, how to take orders and how to work with diverse people.
"Let them know you were in prison, that you served your time," Holcomb said. "And then turn right around and say, 'But I'm dependable. I'm hardworking. . . . If you will give me a chance I'll prove it to you.' "