On Friday, the White House announced a higher education pledge to help previous criminals improve their livelihoods.
The White House markets the “Fair Chance” pledge as a way for “businesses and higher education institutions to invest in their communities and eliminate unnecessary hiring barriers for individuals with criminal records.”
The pledge, a list of reforms for colleges to sign, would “set an example for their peers.”
With millions of Americans paying their debt for criminality, the White House hopes to alleviate the difficulties for individuals who desire a better life after release, with an empathetic perspective for offenders.
Last November, Obama addressed the state of ex-criminals in society: “Around 70 million Americans have some sort of criminal record … Now, a lot of time, that record disqualifies you from being a full participant in our society — even if you’ve already paid your debt to society,” he said. “It means millions of Americans have difficulty even getting their foot in the door to try to get a job, much less actually hang on to that job.”
As necessary as it is to keep Americans safe, all citizens need economic opportunity, even those with imperfect criminal records.
Obama argued that, in the long term, rejecting that approach harms society.
“That’s bad for not only those individuals, it’s bad for our economy. It’s bad for the communities that desperately need more role models who are gainfully employed,” he said.” So we’ve got to make sure Americans who’ve paid their debt to society can earn their second chance.”
The cornerstone of Obama’s pledge is college access.
“Colleges qualify by improving admissions processes (for example, by limiting questions on criminal pasts, or limiting the use of such information), and supporting the work of students and faculty members who teach in corrections institutions or help those in such institutions plan to continue their educations after their sentences,” according to Inside Higher Ed.
Peter Cove and Lee Bowes of Real Clear Politics reported that “more than half a million people are released from federal and state jails and prisons in this country each year. Following their release, roughly two-thirds of ex-offenders are arrested for a new offense within three years resulting in a seemingly unbreakable vicious cycle.”
Higher education could be a catalyst in starting a career when offenders integrate into society. A job helps avoid recidivism.
With immediate access to employment, it has been found that there is a “20 percent reduction in return to crime by non-violent offenders (who constitute the majority of incarcerated individuals),” according to the Manhattan Institute.
