A Growing Concern
The number of people behind bars increased by more than 330% between 1980 and 2002.
The job market can be brutal for formerly incarcerated adults, as well as their children and families, as they contend with instability and stress while struggling to secure employment.
This report covers the challenging terrains of incarceration, reentry and work. It draws on expert interviews, dozens of resources and two decades of strategic investments by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Readers will learn what employment barriers people commonly face after exiting prison or jail and how to help these individuals pursue — and maintain — family-supporting jobs.
For two decades, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has made strategic investments aimed at improving opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals. These investments have focused on three areas: 1) analyzing and enhancing data on incarcerated people; 2) investigating state laws and regulations that restrict employment options for people with criminal records; and 3) developing a prison-to-work employment pipeline.