State to explore employment barriers of ex-offenders

State to explore employment barriers of ex-offendersby Mema Ayi, Chicago Defender December 4, 2006

State lawmakers plan to take a look at the factors that make it difficult for ex-offenders to become productive members of society after their release.

The General Assembly last week passed a joint resolution to allow a task force to study how well prisoners are prepared before they re-emerge into society, as well as other factors that may impede them from obtaining stable jobs after they are released.

The task force, which is expected to produce a report on its findings in January, will identify the specific obstacles ex-offenders are confronted with when trying to find employment, State Sen.Kimberly Lightford (D-Westchester) said in a statement.

"It is well-known that ex-offenders have a difficult time finding jobs when they come back into society. There are too many people, especially young, Black men, who make a mistake, serve their time and are continuing to pay for the rest of their lives because employers won't hire them," she said. "People who have been incarcerated are less likely to re-offend if they are able to successfully re-enter the community by finding a job and supporting themselves. It benefits everyone to help them get back on their feet."

Chicago Ald. Ed Smith (28th) agreed that it's not fair that those with past convictions are often passed over for jobs, though they have paid their debt to society.

In September, Smith introduced and ordinance in the City Council that would include ex-offenders in the Civil Rights Act.

Smith told the Defender Friday that he did not know of the state's resolution, but said he wanted to see more action than talk.

Smith called it a form of discrimination that keeps ex-offenders from finding gainful employment once they are released. Once they mark the box that asks if they have a criminal record, ex-offenders cannot expect to be hired, he said.

"They have paid their debt to society, but in a sense, they're kept incarcerated because people won't give them a job,' Smith said.

The City Council's Human Relations committee twice has heard the issue, but Smith said he hopes to hold a series of meetings in communities to discuss the issue of ex-offenders who cannot find stable employment.

Ultimately, Smith said, he will ask Mayor Richard Daley to take control of the proposal since he has the power to get the ordinance through the council and the clout to influence state lawmakers to take a serious look at including ex-offenders in the Civil Rights Act.

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