Upon release from prison, a former inmate’s ability to forge a successful new life depends largely on the ability to find employment. The 1.25 million current inmates, as well as the 3.7 million people on probation or parole, are most likely to become independent and productive members of the population if they have as many job opportunities as possible. 

Almost 30% of workers require an occupational license to legally perform their jobs, and one in three adults has a criminal record. Yet, a criminal record often precludes a worker from obtaining a license. Occupational licensing reform made strides toward a solution, but more remains to be done.

Informed Education Choices

Inmates often have access to education programs, but these programs sometimes train them for jobs requiring licensure that former inmates find impossible to obtain with their criminal records. Because requirements vary by region, and a board ultimately decides on an individual basis who receives a license, inmates sometimes undergo intense training with no assurance they will be eligible for their profession upon release.

Inmates should know before they begin training whether they are wasting their time and the taxpayers’ money. Good moral character requirements for licensure are far too vague, and criminal history restrictions must be stated more plainly in written rules. 

When board discretion exists, inmates must have the opportunity to receive conditional approval prior to entering the program. Currently, only 21 states give inmates the legal right to petition for this information. These individuals must be better informed about when their planned professions are unavailable to them.

Limited-Scope Bans 

Any restrictions should be limited to relevant, recent crime history. After completing a prison sentence, a non-violent former offender convicted of one crime should not be ineligible for work in an unrelated field a decade later. 

In 30 states, boards can deny a prior offender an occupational license regardless of the license’s relation to the prior offense. In 37 states, even non-violent crimes can render a prior offender ineligible indefinitely. Across the nation, 19,000 prohibitions remain active permanently. 

Regulators should reexamine these restrictions and bans. Eliminating punitive rules with no relation to safety would allow more competent workers to practice—benefitting them, their customers, and the community overall. 

Board Impartiality

Licensing boards for a given industry typically consist at least in part of license holders in that field. Of the 1,700 boards across the country, 85% are mandated to have current practitioners making up a majority of the board. 

This might initially seem logical, since licensees presumably have the expertise necessary to judge the competence of a professional in the field. However, this situation makes potential rivals of the petitioner. 

Every time these board members approve a new license, they create new competition for themselves. To remove this conflict of interest, other states should follow Arizona’s example in filling boards with more members outside the industry, ensuring better public input and oversight.

Second Chances For Prosperity

Increasing employment options for previously incarcerated individuals helps both them and the overall population. Currently, approximately 7.2 million jobs are open, and 600,000 inmates are typically released from prison each year, with an additional 9 million leaving jail. Matching capable previous offenders with open jobs helps everyone involved. 

Giving second chances to former inmates creates more chances for employers, customers, and the community to prosper.