Anthony Vaughn is in construction school and hoping to get a job with the trade unions or in a warehouse.
At a July 25 job fair at Martin University, he was able to connect with employers in those industries, including Volumod, a modular construction company on the far east side. Vaughn, 29, is hopeful he’s on track to land one of those jobs after being rejected by a number of employers in the roughly three months since he got out of prison.
“It’s overwhelming,” Vaughn said. “You’re trying to better yourself, and they don’t give you a chance.”
The July 25 reentry event, co-hosted by Martin University and the Indiana Department of Correction, invited employers and community organizations to provide information and support to people who have been incarcerated.
A study from the Prison Policy Initiative found 65% of people who were incarcerated will be jobless four years after getting out of prison.
Additionally, as of 2022, the Indiana Department of Correction found that 30% of people released from prison in 2019 would be back inside within three years. Research has shown that stable employment is a key factor in reducing recidivism, or keeping people who were released from prison from being locked up again.
Events like the one at Martin University aim to help. Employers in a variety of industries, from the construction trades to hostess, set up tables with information and job applications. There were also community organizations offering resources, including free professional clothing for men and two barbers giving out haircuts.
“You’ve got a lot of people who want to work but don’t have the access to get to certain jobs or get to meet all these employers at one time,” said Jessie Parker, who attended the event. “It’s good to catch it all in one place.”
Getting a second chance
When Michael Dishman applies for jobs, he tells employers right away that he has a criminal record. That’s often where the interview ends, which frustrates him.
“I served my time in prison,” Dishman, 30, said. “I feel like that was repaying my debt to society. Now I have to repay more out here.”
Donald Reynolds, 53, came to the event because it was required by the Indianapolis addiction recovery center he’s staying at. Reynolds was in prison for almost two decades and got out in 2020. When he got out, the world, and his life, were incredibly different.
“I got locked up so young, my kids were babies,” he said. “When I got home, I had to learn how to be a dad again, a brother, a son, a man, a grandpa. I’ve never experienced that.”
Reynolds used to run his own business — he’s a welder, fabricator and carpenter. When he goes back to his hometown South Bend in September, he might start that up again. But he also might get his commercial driver’s license or get in touch with the ironworkers union after making connections at the job fair.
“I’ve got a real good positive attitude, actually, about my life and the work and the direction I’m going in now,” he said.
[This Ivy Tech program is giving formerly incarcerated students a second chance.]
Parker, 51, got out of prison a week ago. Since then, he’s been getting support from VOICES Corp, a local community organization that has a reentry program. Someone from the organization drove him to the event at Martin.
Parker’s hoping for a janitorial or warehouse job at the Hostess warehouse on the east side because it’s just a few blocks away from where he lives. Having a short commute to work would make it easier for him to show up every day.
“It would mean a lot,” Parker said. “It would mean me taking care of myself, me being able to provide, me being able to be the man I need to be.”
Where to find jobs resources
Ivy Tech’s ELEVATE program offers support for formerly and currently incarcerated students in Marion, Boone and Hendricks counties. To learn more, visit the website or email Indianapolis-Elevate@ivytech.edu.
Second Chance Indiana has a database of jobs that are open to people with criminal records and offers job training and support.
To learn more about Indiana Department of Correction’s support programs for reentry, visit the website or reach out to HIRE@IDOC.in.gov.
Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire at claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org or on social media @clairerafford.
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