Our criminal legal system is notorious for imposing its linear process to achieve “justice.” We prosecute, incarcerate, and then inflict lifelong collateral consequences on those who are convicted of crimes. My project synthesizes discussions and insights from a series of collaborative meetings with organizations such as Ithaka S+R, St. Lawrence Health, Defy Ventures, and others designed to enhance career supports for individuals reentering the community post-incarceration. Topics addressed included job training, educational opportunities, entrepreneurship programs, and navigating technology post-release. Key themes elicited were a need for clear service definitions, the importance of navigators in guiding reentry, structured timelines for service delivery, and the critical role of directly impacted individuals in organizational roles. Discussions also highlighted a need not only to prepare returning citizens with professional development and career services but to educate employers about fair-chance employment and benefits derived from employing returning citizens. The insights gained can contribute to understanding effective career-oriented reentry strategies and inform future research and program development.
