The Chairman of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole said that Dauphin County is making great strides in getting inmates released from prison back into the workforce, but the numbers need to increase.
Thursday, we met Nashon Walker. He had been convicted of nine felonies and served a year and a half in prison.
When he was released, he was uneducated and unemployed. Now he has two college degrees and runs his own company.
“Ex-offenders, they are great individuals and I would say to them don’t lose hope,” Walker told us.
More than 100 people gathered as an initiative of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber to talk about how to get non-violent offenders leaving prison back into the workforce. Perhaps a controversial issue, but there are businesses that support it and examples of those who have made it. Harristown Enterprises, which operates the downtown Hilton, has been hiring them for more than a decade.
“Ex-offenders come in with a drive," explained Harristown Enterprises Manager of Human Resources Rebecca Frank. "They come in with a determination and a dedication to make a difference in their own lives but in their families lives so they come with a real drive to make a better life for themselves.”
Nick Carter is president of Pro Quality Cleaning. He only learned of the meeting yesterday and attended this morning. He left convinced to hire ex-offenders. All that’s left for him is to tie up loose ends.
“It’s just gathering the right resources," commented Nick Carter. "Finding the right people in the community to assist us in the process of finding the right people.”
Walker says all the pieces are in place. The first is education or learning job skills, citing a partnership with HACC.
”They also need mentorship as an anchor to help them along the way," Walker advised. "And then we have employment. Employment bridges the gap for an ex-offender so they’re not so susceptible to lead them back to incarceration.”
Walker says when you give an ex-con a job, you’re giving back to your community. He says it helps the community be a safer place, a more productive place and it boosts the local economy.
Thursday, we met Nashon Walker. He had been convicted of nine felonies and served a year and a half in prison.
When he was released, he was uneducated and unemployed. Now he has two college degrees and runs his own company.
“Ex-offenders, they are great individuals and I would say to them don’t lose hope,” Walker told us.
More than 100 people gathered as an initiative of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber to talk about how to get non-violent offenders leaving prison back into the workforce. Perhaps a controversial issue, but there are businesses that support it and examples of those who have made it. Harristown Enterprises, which operates the downtown Hilton, has been hiring them for more than a decade.
“Ex-offenders come in with a drive," explained Harristown Enterprises Manager of Human Resources Rebecca Frank. "They come in with a determination and a dedication to make a difference in their own lives but in their families lives so they come with a real drive to make a better life for themselves.”
Nick Carter is president of Pro Quality Cleaning. He only learned of the meeting yesterday and attended this morning. He left convinced to hire ex-offenders. All that’s left for him is to tie up loose ends.
“It’s just gathering the right resources," commented Nick Carter. "Finding the right people in the community to assist us in the process of finding the right people.”
Walker says all the pieces are in place. The first is education or learning job skills, citing a partnership with HACC.
”They also need mentorship as an anchor to help them along the way," Walker advised. "And then we have employment. Employment bridges the gap for an ex-offender so they’re not so susceptible to lead them back to incarceration.”
Walker says when you give an ex-con a job, you’re giving back to your community. He says it helps the community be a safer place, a more productive place and it boosts the local economy.