A criminal record limits a person’s employment potential in several ways. The greatest issue is the criminal history. Employers cannot hire people with a criminal record for many kinds of jobs. And even when there is no legal constraint, many more employers choose not to hire ex-offenders, for fear that they may commit a crime at the workplace or intimidate other employees. Another issue is the ex-offender’s lack of skill and relevant experience. Many are school dropouts, and few have postsecondary skill or education. Even those who have work experience will be at a disadvantage in the eye of an employer who looks for a history of consistent work. Ex-offenders also often lack “soft” or job-readiness skills, such as punctuality, reliability, conflict resolution and ability to get along with colleagues.

In 2006, the Indiana Department of Correction released 4,378 people from the prison system back to Marion County. The largest group (1,531 in 2006) was parolees: people who have served part of a prison sentence and then were released for good behavior. Parolees remain under supervision after their release. Probationers receive a suspended sentence and are released into the community but, like parolees, are under the supervision of a court office and must avoid further trouble to stay free. Some ex-offenders (430 in 2006) are released into a community transition program, which includes more intensive supervision and support. Only about 25 percent of all ex-offenders are discharged with no further obligation, having served their complete sentence. There were 1,120 of these in 2006.

With more than 4,000 adults re-entering the Marion County workforce each year from the Indiana prison system, and a further 1,000 returning from federal prisons, jobs for ex-offenders becomes an important consideration. Generally, anyone with a criminal record cannot work in any job in medicine or finance. Because of homeland security rules, they cannot haul hazardous materials or work at airports. Often they cannot get hired in construction either, because the customer stipulates that the construction firm will not allow people with criminal records onto their premises.

Ex-offenders face another barrier to employment. They often are burdened with expenses associated with their release and probation or parole that make it hard to make ends meet on an otherwise adequate salary. For example, a judge may order a parolee to wear a Global Positioning Satellite monitoring device, and the parolee must pay $75 up front and $12 a day. Those who fell behind on child-support payments while incarcerated may have to pay up to 55 percent of their net earnings to catch up, and victim restitution or other legal fees also may mount.

For those whose families receive public benefits such as food stamps or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, low pay may be a disincentive to work, especially at a job that does not offer health care and other benefits. Often, the pay is too low to make ends meet but sufficiently high to disqualify the family from receiving public benefits.