Roadmap to Reentry summit draws employers to see benefits of hiring ex-offenders

MICHAEL BAKER, Pet Food Experts Inc. owner;  Dwayne Gibson, an employee and ex-offender; and James Bettencourt, Pet Food Experts' chief operating officer, are seen at the Roadmap to Reentry Community Workforce Development Summit Wednesday. / PBN PHOTO/EMILY GOWDEY-BACKUS
MICHAEL BAKER, Pet Food Experts Inc. owner; Dwayne Gibson, an employee and ex-offender; and James Bettencourt, Pet Food Experts' chief operating officer, are seen at the Roadmap to Reentry Community Workforce Development Summit Wednesday. / PBN PHOTO/EMILY GOWDEY-BACKUS

WARWICK – Employers gathered at the Roadmap to Reentry Community Workforce Development Summit Wednesday morning to learn about how ex-offenders are prepared for a smooth re-entry into the mainstream workforce and incentives available to employers who take the risk to hire those with a criminal record.

The summit was co-hosted by U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha and R.I. Department of Corrections Director A.T. Wall.

Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, who spoke at the summit’s opening, noted the enormity of the issue being addressed and the fact that half of the 3,000 ex-offenders released last year re-offended and were back behind bars within three years of their release.

“Imagine what that does to your family, your ability to keep a job, your community – it’s hugely disruptive,” she said.

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Raimondo announced that she has included $500,000 in her 2017 budget, currently before the General Assembly, to fund a transitional employment pilot program which would place 75 ex-offenders in jobs with Rhode Island employers.

“Small investments in job training and in skill training and job placement could save us a huge amount of money instead of re-incarcerating people. Not to mention it gives people the chance to live a fulfilling life,” she said.

Raimondo added that the type of cross-departmental collaboration amongst state and federal officials, demonstrated at Wednesday’s summit, is the key to solving the issue of securing employment for ex-offenders.

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin said he was “thrilled” the summit was investigating how to employ ex-offenders. He said this issue is relevant to every citizen of the state.

He said, “The reality is this isn’t just a government problem, it’s a problem for all Rhode Islanders … [and] it’s not a one size fits all solution [because] it’s not a one-size-fits-all problem.”

To him the summit signifies the importance of partnerships forged among employers, advocacy groups and law enforcement and the vital role these partnerships play in securing sustainable jobs for ex-offenders.

Pet Food Experts Inc. in Cumberland is one such company that has built up partnerships with the Adult Correctional Institutions and the community to provide jobs to offenders during their work release time and again after their release.

Michael Baker, the company’s owner, had two employees who were invited to speak at the summit: Jeffrey Lavalley, regional operations manager, and Dwayne Gibson, an employee who served more than 13 years in prison for selling crack cocaine.

“The hope is to inspire other businesses because, in our case … we just need great people to join our business family and to work hard,” he said.

He’s not sure the company has perfected the process, but he said, “To have folks that can grow with us into supervisory roles, like Dwayne, that’s true success.”

Alexis Devine, workforce-development coordinator for Lifespan, who manages the organization’s at-risk summer youth employment program, came to the summit on a fact-finding mission to learn more about the training offered to ex-offenders and identify any opportunities for this population to work in the health care industry.

“The challenge is, as much as we could be interested and as much as there are supports for tangible things like housing and transportation, we just might not have an alignment with the opportunity or our needs with the training that is provided,” she said.

Her opinion, however, of the importance, need and misconception of those involved in the criminal justice system has not changed.

She added, “While we may not have the alignment between the training and the opportunities we really understand the importance of employment, creating opportunities and effecting healthy outcomes in the wellness of our communities.”

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