Information: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion: Championing Smart Justice Reform

Supporting Fair Chance Hiring

Fair Chance Hiring refers to policies that delay inquiries into a job applicant's criminal record until they have an opportunity to introduce themselves and their qualifications for the job. Employment has been shown to help reduce the likelihood that someone leaving jail or prison will reoffend, keeping communities safer and building a more inclusive regional economy.

Supporting Second Chances
Chamber Executive magazine article by Will Burns (Winter 2020) - Provides an overview of Clean Slate and what chambers of commerce can do to support second-chance hiring.
Clean Slate Initiative Fact Sheet
ACCE fact sheet (Jan 2020)

Second Chances
Chamber Executive magazine article by Ben Goldstein (Fall 2017) - Learn how chambers are promoting second chance hiring.

Chamber Examples:

Chamber Leaders Urge Consideration of Michigan's Expungement Reform Legislation
Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber (MI), and Rick Baker, president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Chamber (MI), share their thoughts on an expungement reform package that would help meet the demand for skilled workers. This six-bill package, addressing an individual’s criminal record, could mean massive economic benefits for the state of Michigan.

“Kentucky Comeback” Campaign Launches
The Kentucky Chamber launched a statewide campaign to change the stigma around substance use disorder and make positive changes in the criminal justice system. (July 1, 2020)
Kentucky Comeback
Broad-based coalition to dramatically transform the state’s approach to addiction and criminal justice in Kentucky.

C.O.R.E. Internship Program
Creating Opportunities and Real Experiences (C.O.R.E.) Internship Program is an initiative of the Los Angeles County’s Youth@Work program in partnership with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce (CA) aimed at providing paid career exploration and on-the-job work experience in the private sector to young adults, ages 18-24, with a history of criminal justice involvement.
Second Chance Hiring Enhances Talent Pipeline, Empowers People
NC Chamber spoke with second chance hiring advocate and friend of ACCE Jeffrey Korzenik, chief investment strategist for Fifth Third Bank. In the interview, Jeffrey shares the benefits and best practices for business leaders considering second chance hiring strategies. (Aug 18, 2020)
Fresh Start Act
The St. Louis Regional Chamber (MO) helped pass HB 2046, a comprehensive workforce bill. This bill included the Fresh Start Act, which will open more opportunities for Missourians with past criminal convictions by outlawing state licensing authorities from disqualifying individuals for a professional license because of a prior conviction, unless the crime is directly related to the duties and responsibilities for the licensed occupation.

Other Resources:

Expungement of Criminal Convictions: An Empirical Study
Article by J.J. Prescott and Sonja B. Starr found that formerly incarcerated people who got their records expunged had extremely low subsequent crime rates and experienced a sharp upturn in their wage and employment trajectories. Published in Harvard Law Review, Vol. 133, No. 8, pp. 2460-555 (June 2020)
Getting Talent Back to Work
An initiative led by SHRM, in partnership with Koch Industries, to end outdated, non-inclusive hiring practices and provide those with criminal histories a fair chance at employment. The initiative includes an employer pledge and a resource toolkit based upon an extensive body of research and evidence-based practices from thousands of enterprises.
The Best Practices and Model Policies: Creating a Fair Chance Policy
National Employment Law Project toolkit that can be used by businesses and organizations to craft a fair chance policy. (Apr 2015)

Championing Smart Justice Reform

A growing number of chambers are championing Criminal Justice Reform efforts that reduce crime, improve public safety, develop the workforce pipeline, and build thriving and inclusive regional economies. Smart Justice addresses criminal justice issues holistically by examining the connections between crime and opportunities for education, employment, mental health and addiction support, housing and social inclusion. Chambers are uniquely positioned to build cross-sector coalitions that address key issues such as corrections reform, diversion and prevention, sentencing reform, justice reinvestment, education, and employment.

Chamber Examples:

Now is the time for Iowans to listen and to act to end systemic racism, including passage of smart justice reform
Black Iowans make up 4 percent of the population but constitute 20 percent in Iowa jails and 24 percent in state prisons. Gov. Kim Reynolds convened the FOCUS (Fueling Ongoing Collaboration and Uncovering Solutions) Committee on Criminal Justice Reform that submitted its recommendations in December. Authors Izaah Knox and Jay Byers, CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership (IA), challenge elected officials to enact smart justice reform and to continue the conversation. (June 7, 2020)
Greater OKC Chamber Task Force recommendations for reform of Oklahoma County’s criminal justice system
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber (OK) continues to champion criminal justice reform and that commitment is reflected in its 2020 Legislative Agenda. The chamber’s Criminal Justice Task Force released a series of recommendations designed to ease overcrowding conditions at the Oklahoma County Jail and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system.

The Leaky Bucket: 10 Years Later
An update of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's original Leaky Bucket report that identified corrections, Medicaid and public employee benefits as major budget leaks that were consuming tax dollars at a rate that was growing faster than the overall state budget.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

ACCE Smart Justice Case Studies

Racial Equity Legislation Tracker

Supporting Fair Chance Hiring

Chamber Examples:

Other Resources:

Championing Smart Justice Reform

Chamber Examples: