Description
While justice for victims of crime may require a sentencing, it is also important that there is some sort of justice for the offender once they are released. Unfortunately, this is not the case in America today. In our reality, two out of three former prisoners are rearrested within just three years of being initially released. We can simply blame this on criminals for breaking the law again after prior punishment, or we can look further into why they may be committing punishable crimes again so quickly. Do the systems we have set up for current and former prisoners really help them prepare again for the outside world?
After being released, former prisoners have little access to healthcare, education, housing, jobs, and many other basic necessities. They are often set up for failure. Many end up back behind bars because the outside is too much for them. They end up homeless and jobless, making it easier for them to just go back to jail where they’ll have a roof over their head and food on the table. While our criminal legal system is flawed in this area, there are many jobs and opportunities that can help former inmates prepare for the outside world.
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While there are a variety of options when it comes to careers in the field, it is important to note that working with formerly incarcerated people is not for everyone. There are certainly wrongly-convicted people who have served their sentences behind bars for a crime they did not actually commit, but you will undoubtedly be working with people who have committed crimes that are unsavory and far exceed the ability of some people to cope with. It takes a nonjudgmental individual who is able to balance personal boundaries with an inherently caring profession to succeed in this field.
If you have any interest in helping others and working within the criminal justice system, there are a variety of ways that you can gain a better sense of whether reentry is the right field for you. From college courses to volunteer opportunities, here are a few ways you can gauge your interest and earn experience while in college:
At the University of Iowa
University of Iowa School of Sociology
A sociology major at the University of Iowa “...will allow you to look at humans and the relationship with the world around them, while asking questions to help solve common problems and social issues.”
Tracks within Sociology
- Family and Health Services, “...is open to Sociology majors who are interested in understanding family structures and practices, differences between and within families, and those social institutions and forces that shape families or are shaped by them.”
- Possible careers supported by this track: social service, counseling, healthcare, child advocacy, community services
- Human Relations and Business “...is open to Sociology majors who are interested in understanding the macro- and micro-level processes that affect the knowledge and management of organizations, as well as the groups and individuals that compose them.”
- Possible careers supported by this track: human relations specialist, general management, educational development, political and public relations
A criminology, law, and justice major at the University of Iowa “... examines issues related to race and ethnic diversity and gender and poverty, promoting awareness of these important topics.”
Tracks within Criminology, Law, and Justice
- Criminology: “Knowledge gained from the scientific study of crime and criminal justice serves as the foundation for public policies and programs that improve the quality of life and promote social justice.”
- Possible careers supported by this track: data analyst, government agency analyst, news and media analyst
- Criminal Justice: “Examining political, economic, and cultural patterns that shape definitions of crime and influence the policy choices about how to respond to certain criminal and deviant behaviors is central to this discipline.”
- Possible careers supported by this track: law enforcement, probation officer, corrections officer
Student organizations
- Cultural Organizations: Iowa offers a variety of cultural organizations to better understand and support unique cultural concerns
- Examples: African Student Association, American Association of University Women, SistaSpeak
- Campus or Community Involvement: these organizations offer experience in organizing and planning for those interested in business or organization
- Examples: Undergraduate Student Government, City Planners at Iowa, Community Health Outreach Promotion Association
- Experience in Helping Professions: organizations that allow you to gauge personal interest in helping serve others
- Examples: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Inspire to Aspire, Special Olympics at Iowa
There are many different fields that someone could go into when looking at this career path, and while it may seem only a career path for those who are pursuing a degree in criminology, it spans a wide range of majors including: psychology, human resources, sociology, social justice, social work or more. Below is a list of a few organizations focused on these issues that one could pursue and what the basic requirements for the positions are.
- The Innocence Project-
- A non profit organization that works to free those who are wrongly convicted. They offer a wide range of employment opportunities including attorneys, social workers, digital fundraising coordinator, post conviction litigator, and more. While some of these employment opportunities require specific degrees, they also offer internships, fellowships, and ample volunteer opportunities.
- Vera Institute of Justice-
- An organization whose mission is “To end the overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty.” Much like the Innocence Project, the Vera Institute has many different ways to get involved. As well as volunteer and internship opportunities, the Vera Institute offers an expansive list of employment opportunities such as analysts, researchers, campaign managers, community outreach, data scientists, attorneys and more.
- VSC: Voices For A Second Chance-
- VSC is an organization that serves those incarcerated and those previously incarcerated by providing individualized outreach and community based resources. VSC offers a lot of different jobs within the organization such as pre-release services and direct support in jails, counselors, and advocacy roles to help those transition back into life outside of prison.
- Inside Out Reentry Community-
- A nonprofit organization that works with ex prisoners to rebuild a better future and get them back on their feet. They provide plenty of employment opportunities and even internships. You can work as a mentor or work within the shelter, there are plenty of employment opportunities available.
Other potential jobs in this field could include, but are not limited to:
Therapist, social worker, psychiatrist, teacher, employment specialist, advocate, policy analyst, grant writer, career advisor, and a lot more.
Psychiatrist/therapist- for those still in the system, leaving, or already out of the system.
Social worker- Provide assistance and guidance to those who have been incarcerated.
Teacher- teaching classes inside prisons to help those incarcerated get an education.
Lobbyist/advocate- fight for new policies and interact with government officials.
Policy analyst/grant writer- analyze policies and propose research in order to get funding and information.
Legal Advocate- work towards providing education and protection towards one’s rights and the law as well as provide assistance throughout the legal process.
Employment specialist/career advisor- help those find jobs and make sure they’re being compensated fairly as well as help with living situations.
Any job search engine is a great tool to use when looking for a new job. Listed below are a couple job search engines that have an abundance of career opportunities in prison reentry programs and non-profits.
- Indeed
- Simplyhired
- ZipRecruiter
- Glassdoor
- Idealist
However, looking through tons of job ads can be overwhelming if you aren’t sure what exactly to expect in this career field. Below are some specific places that will have more information about what a career in this area can look like and some responsibilities these jobs require.
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/reentry/about
- This is an official website of the United States Government that has great information about reentry employment opportunities. On this site you can find examples of core services that employees in this field may provide, information about current and recent programs, and great resources for finding jobs in this area.
- https://nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/
- The National Reentry Resource Center is a great place to browse if you have questions regarding the reentry system. This website provides a tool kit that provides policymakers and practitioners with tools that help them navigate multisystemic and highly complex re-entry systems. On this site you can find basic information about the reentry system, create or improve reentry programs and policies, or get involved/collaborate with other reentry services.
As mentioned before, working with formerly incarcerated people can be a difficult job that is not for everyone. So before you jump into this career field it's suggested to get involved in volunteer work. Below are some resources that can help get you started with volunteer work with current or former incarcerated people.
- https://www.bop.gov/jobs/volunteer.jsp
- The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a website that provides information about why you should volunteer, how you can volunteer, and different programs and skill sets that need volunteers. There are even volunteer opportunities for reentry prep which would be an amazing opportunity for someone looking into this career path.
- https://volunteer.reentry.gov/Volunteer/s/opportunity-search
- This website is a great tool to find volunteer opportunities with incarcerated people near you. You can search volunteer options by location, program, and level.
- https://prisonbookprogram.org/volunteer/
- This website provides volunteer opportunities that don’t involve face to face contact with prisoners. In this program you can volunteer to read notes from prisoners who write down what kind of literature they like, and the volunteer shops in the library for those kinds of books. This volunteer opportunity would be a great starting place.