Any Suggestions for an Ex-offender who Cannot Find a Job?

Q: Hello and thank you for taking time out and reading my e-mail. I myself have never been in any form of trouble with the law not even so much as a traffic ticket. I am however engaged to an ex-convict.

When my now soon to be husband was eighteen he was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery(a crime he did not commit, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people) and sentenced to three years in jail. After being released (a year ago) he was placed on parole until June 2011. In the meantime he has been doing everything humanly possible to find employment and still has not. I have watched him become more discouraged everyday not being able to provide for himself.

I am disgusted with the system today. This man spent three years of his life which he cannot get back behind bars, gets released and decides to make changes in his life and then hits a brick wall when he tries to better himself by working! I think programs need to be made available to ex-convicts for the transition from jail back into society and programs that solely help them with employment once released. If there are any suggestions or any words of advice regarding this situation please feel free to e-mail me I would greatly appreciate it.

A: I’m sorry your intended is having so much trouble. This is a tough time even for those who do not even have a criminal background. The first thing I would do is speak to his parole officer. He will probably know of employers who will hire an ex-offender. The parole officer could also put him in touch with his other charges who have secured employment. Since they are are working, they could give him leads to a open positions where they work.

I will also him going to the nearest One-Stop Career Center. Each state has a network of centers that offer a variety of free services that can get him ready for work and assist him in finding employment. In addition, these centers offer training programs that may prepare him for a career. Some services available are:

Career planning and counseling

Workshops (Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, and related topics.)

Computers with internet access and word processing

Daily access to thousands of job listings

Job-related magazines and local newspapers

Job postings and referrals

Printers, fax machines, phones, and copiers for job search use

There are counselors there whose function is helping citizens gain employment. Many of them have experience that could help an ex-offender.

You can find the nearest location of the One Stop Career Center in your local phone book or on the web at: www.servicelocator.org

I hope this helps

Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: BelievePublications@comcast.net.