INDIANAPOLIS — Convicts who've finished their time often discover a painful truth about returning to the real world: Many employers are loathe to hire ex-prisoners.
Lawmakers are beginning to look at ways to break down those employment barriers for ex-offenders. One option could involve a tax credit for companies that hire ex-convicts.
“Employment is a big part of keeping people from recommitting crimes,” said Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who has played a key role in criminal sentencing reform.
Earlier this week, a legislative committee heard about roadblocks faced by people with a criminal past.
Corrections experts described challenges that include finding employers willing to consider someone with a criminal record. Ex-offenders also struggle to find affordable places to live and a means to get to work – especially in rural communities with no public transportation.
Pam Ferguson, assistant superintendent of re-entry at the Rockville Correctional Facility, said women coming out of prison often face the added burden of finding a job and affordable child care.
“There are a lot of financial burdens out there for these women,” she said.
An estimated 1.5 million Hoosiers have a criminal record, from misdemeanors to serious felonies. About 30,000 people are behind bars in the state prison system.
The recidivism rate varies, but about 40 percent those who leave an Indiana jail or prison end up back inside within five years.
The legislative committee is expected to look for ways to help ex-offenders find work and return to the roll of taxpayers.
One idea floated, but not yet acted on, involves a financial incentive akin to the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit for employers who hire from certain groups, including ex-offenders, that consistently face barriers to employment.
Indiana is following other states in confronting the costs of incarceration and the limited success of ex-cons in staying out of prison.
Three years ago, lawmakers began to reduce penalties for nonviolent crimes and gave judges more sentencing leeway. Earlier this year, the Legislature put $60 million in the budget for community-based correction programs.
Steuerwald said he is cautiously optimistic that Tuesday’s hearing is an indicator that lawmakers are committed to reducing the number of people behind bars.
“I think the whole ship is turning around,” Steuerwald said.
At Tuesday's hearing, officials from the Indiana Department of Correction talked about the success of programs that provide job training and mental health counseling for inmates, followed by intensive support in helping ex-offenders find work.
But more resources may be needed, as those programs are short on staff but high on demand.
“We know these evidence-based programs really do work,” Steuerwald said. “They reduce recidivism, and they reduce crime rates in communities. I think people are finally understanding that.”