This document discusses the untapped potential of hiring formerly incarcerated individuals. It notes that while employers may worry about risks, research shows ex-convicts are no more likely to reoffend or cause issues. Programs help prepare ex-offenders for jobs through training, but they still face difficulties finding work. Certain industries like cargo and freight agents are projected to grow and could provide opportunities. Hiring ex-convicts benefits both employees and employers through loyalty, skills obtained in prison, and tax credits for hiring them.

1. THE UNTAPPED
RESOURCE
Hiring the formerly incarcerated

2. FACTS AND FICTION
Employers
• worried about theft
• workplace violence or other issues
• there is little incentive to take a chance
For people with criminal records
• difficulty finding work can persist for years
• even though there’s little evidence that they are riskier
employees
Research by Carnegie Mellon criminologist Alfred Blumstein has
found that ex-convicts are no more likely to re-offend than the
general population
• They are less likely to be involved in workforce violence or theft

3. PREPARATION
On average
$4,489 is spent on each ex-offender, pre and post release, in
preparation of employment (equivalent to the cost of one
semester at a California Community College)
Course Work
GED/HiSet preparation and testing
Job readiness
• Resume development
• How to look for employment
• Online applications
• Interview preparation (including mock interviews)
• Personal appearance and presentation
 Contra Costa County Office of Education – PEP
• Added 21st Century World of Work Essential Skills Training
o 20 unit soft skills module

4. WHAT IS THE JOB
OUTLOOK?
Estimated Employment and Projected Growth
Cargo and Freight Agents
Geographic Area
(Estimated Year-
Projected Year)
Estimated
Employment
Projected
Employment
Numeric
Change
Percent
Change
Additional
Openings
Due to Net
Replacements
California
(2014-2024)
12,100 14,400 2,300 19.0 4,000
Employment opportunities should increase for Cargo and Freight Agents at a greater
than average rate due to increases in cargo traffic. Additional demand will stem from
the growing popularity of online shopping and same-day delivery. Job opportunities
are also subject to change due to fluctuations in the economy and further automation
of the delivery process.
Source: EDD/LMID Projections of Employment by Occupation
 2014 – 2020
• Cumulative of Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, and Handlers
o 6,810 available positions in Alameda and Contra Costa County. Average
wage $14.56, $30,277, OJT

5. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
AND REHABILITATION SPRING 2017
POPULATION PROJECTIONS
Proposition 57
Increases the number of non-violent inmates eligible for parole
consideration and allows parole consideration after
• serving the full term of the sentence for their primary offense
• authorizes CDCR to award sentence credits for rehabilitation,
good behavior, and educational achievements
o Average 3100 workforce ready individuals (2017-2020)

6. DESIRED SKILL SET FOR
CALIFORNIA CARGO AND
FREIGHT AGENTS
Task Skill Used
Negotiate and arrange transport of goods with shipping or freight companies. Negotiation
Notify consignees, passengers, or customers of the arrival of freight or baggage, and
for delivery.
Customer and Personal Service*
Advise clients on transportation and payment methods. Speaking*
Determine method of shipment and prepare bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping
documents.
Critical Thinking*
Check import/export documentation to determine cargo contents, and classify goods into
different fee or tariff groups, using a tariff coding system.
Inductive Reasoning*
Enter shipping information into a computer by hand or by a hand-held scanner that reads
codes on goods.
Monitoring
Pack goods for shipping, using tools such as staplers, strapping machines, and hammers. Transportation
Direct delivery trucks to shipping doors or designated marshaling areas and help load and
unload goods safely.
Selective Attention
Inspect and count items received and check them against invoices or other documents,
recording shortages and rejecting damaged goods.
Problem Sensitivity*
Keep records of all goods shipped, received, and stored. Coordination
Coordinate and supervise activities of workers engaged in packing and shipping Time Management*
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Information Network (O*NET) *units taught in CCCOE – Pep classrooms

7. IN ADDITION TO THE
SOCIAL BENEFIT
Mark Peters, CEO of Butterball Farms, Inc., regularly hires
former prisoners and sites these reason to hire the formerly
incarcerated:
1. They'll be looking out for you since you looked out for them
“Since most people who have spent time in prison find it difficult to get jobs and re-enter
society. They tend to be extremely grateful and loyal to any employer who give them a
chance…there's plenty of people I can hire that don't care if they work for me or the guy down
the street…I'd rather have somebody who's really engaged and helping my organization be
successful. So if I help someone else be successful, they're a lot more interested in helping
me be successful.“
2. The training received in prison is often transferable to your job
Many people who spend time behind bars are able to receive vocational training and
participate in certification programs for GEDs and college degrees, which can help prepare
them for employment and provide valuable skills that transfer across fields. It might also
mean they are familiar with discipline and hard work.

8. SOCIAL BENEFIT (CONT.)
3. They'll stay longer
“People who have been incarcerated greatly value their jobs when
they get hired. Prior to release they must demonstrate a
commitment to leading an honest and responsible life. Finding
employment is not easy for them--once hired they are not likely to
quit--they are highly motivated in becoming long-term employees."
4. Consider tax incentives
Businesses who hire ex-felons within one year after of released
from prison qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Employers
can receive a maximum of $2,400 for each adult hired.*
*Forms must be completed within 28 days of the new hire’s start date to the SWA.
Applications submitted after the time limit required by law will be denied for not
meeting the legal filing deadline requirement.

9. FOOD FOR THOUGHT
• “Employment helps everyone. When these folks are given the
opportunity to come back into the workforce in jobs … their
relationship with the community shifts, so where they once
were people who would be sort of a blight on the
community they now have the opportunity to be a very
specific kind of beacon.”
Esperanza Tervalon-Daumont, executive director
of the Oakland community organization Oakland Rising