People returning from incarceration need career pathways that allow them to reenter successfully society and support themselves and their loved ones. Tech companies need skilled workers, and there are substantial benefits, corporate and societal, to helping people returning from incarceration get a second chance.
To be successful, however, companies need to take the time to understand the serious nature of this work and implement possible reforms to internal policies, workplace culture, and attitudes toward complex and weighty issues like race and the concept of redemption.
This playbook helps companies navigate the process for hiring and supporting people returning from incarceration, breaking down everything from legal and HR hurdles to the human elements of making hiring programs a long-term success. Divided into discrete, bite-sized content, the Playbook makes it easier for companies to answer the question, “Where to begin?”
A collaboration of Aspen Digital, the Aspen Criminal Justice Reform Initiative, and Slack, Rework Reentry seeks to identify and help eliminate systemic barriers to meaningful tech careers for people returning from incarceration. The effort engages returning persons, community leaders, and company executives through research-driven public education, convenings with key stakeholders, and documentary storytelling.
