We need your help to get this legislation across the finish line — join RBIJ and our coalition of business leaders in promoting fair systems of justice — sign the below letter of support today! 

Dear Chair Jordan and Ranking Member Nadler:

We are writing to express our strong support of four bills that are currently in your committee: The BOP Release Card ID Act: (H.R 6985 / S. 3993); The Second Chance Reauthorization Act: (H.R. 8028 / S. 4477); The Clean Slate Act: (H.R 2930 / S. 5266); and the Fresh Start Act: (H.R 2983). We, the undersigned, urge you to prioritize the passage of these bills.

As business leaders dedicated to championing economic opportunity, public safety, and the well-being of families, we believe that supporting the above legislation is crucial for removing barriers and fostering successful reintegration for individuals with criminal records.

An estimated 77 million Americans — or 1 in every 3 adults — have an arrest or conviction record, and over 95% of the prison population will eventually be released. Over 600,000 individuals return to their communities from prison each year and even more are entering and exiting local jails. Concurrently, the U.S is facing a significant labor shortage. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, as of June 2024, there were 84 available workers for every 100 open jobs in the U.S. and the labor force participation rate remains below pre-pandemic levels. At a staggering 27%, the unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated people is higher than it has ever been in history for the general population.

Economists estimate that the U.S. economy loses between $78 billion and $87 billion in annual Gross Domestic Product (G.D.P.) due to excluding formerly incarcerated job seekers from the workforce. Increased income for formerly incarcerated people from reliable employment leads to greater purchasing power, increased sales and payroll taxes, and improved public safety. Yet, formerly incarcerated people currently face over 40,000 barriers to meaningful re-entry, often unrelated or irrelevant to their record. Removing these barriers is essential to breaking costly cycles of incarceration and boosting our economy.

Ensuring that individuals returning home from incarceration will have the best opportunity to successfully reenter the workforce not only benefits employers, but it restores our communities. Research shows that individuals who were employed two months after re-entry were about half as likely to recidivate than those who were unemployed. This legislation makes certain that those exiting the justice system have access to vital employment documents, guarantees that crucial reentry programs and services are fully funded, and ensures that their record isn’t going to hold them or their communities back from moving forward positively.

We respectfully urge you to take swift action on these important pieces of legislation. We thank you for your continued leadership and dedication to supporting recidivism reduction, improved reentry programs and services nationwide, and addressing our labor shortage.

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