by Silva Payne

Created on: August 15, 2009

One of the fundamental reasons why an ex-convict should seek employment as soon as possible upon release (if not pre-release) is to prevent recidivism. No matter what the state or country, the ability to stay out of jail or prison once a person has served a first sentence is greatly enhanced if they have the financial means to do so. Unless they are in receipt of a legacy or private income, seeking employment is the only way.

One of the first things that has to happen to facilitate gaining employment by an ex-inmate is they must re-evaluate their pride. It can be a major shock to realise that no matter how good an employee they were or how high the wage they earned prior to incarceration, the label of "convict" is always going to be more important to potential new employers. Assuming that the ex-inmate has somewhere to live straight from release, and that they have access to transport, there really is no time to be lost in beginning the hunt for a job. Getting help to put together a truthful resume is important; many inmates gain beneficial skills while serving their sentences that they may not think to publicise, but that could land them a job. Things like working in the prison kitchen, or out in the fields, can develop skills that are useful if they are applying for a food service or farm hand position.

The conviction that the inmate served time for will almost certainly have some bearing on the kind of job they can hope to secure post-release. Those convicted of theft possibly have the most difficult time convincing potential employers of their trustworthiness, so applying for vacancies where there is limited opportunity to steal is a simple but often overlooked strategy. Avoiding cash-handling positions is obvious, but vacancies for security work are unlikely to be filled by an ex-thief. Instead, the ex-convict could use their post-release period to head in a different employment direction, perhaps moving into elderly care or school bus driving.

If the main reason for an ex-convict to seek employment is to help prevent their return to prison, then the payment of any outstanding fines, court costs or parole fees must also be a motivational factor. The ability to pay parole fees is inextricably linked to the likelihood of parole being revoked. An inmate does not simply pay with their time when they are convicted of a crime; the penalties are also largely financial and can extend for many years after the inmate is released.

For those who

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