DeepSummary
The episode features a discussion with Susan Mason, Teresa Hodge, and Jordan Babineaux about the Bank on 100 Million campaign, which aims to help corporations operationalize their DEI commitments to hiring formerly incarcerated talent (FIT). They highlight the staggering statistics around overcriminalization, with 70 million Americans having a conviction history and that number expected to reach 100 million by 2030.
The guests explain the difficulties faced by formerly incarcerated individuals in finding employment, even after serving their sentences, due to outdated HR processes and societal stigma. They emphasize the need for companies to develop strategies and tools to properly assess and contextualize FIT candidates, rather than automatically disqualifying them based on their records.
The panelists share their personal experiences and advocate for companies to pledge, partner, and pilot initiatives to tap into this overlooked talent pool. They argue that employment is a crucial factor in reducing recidivism rates and that FIT individuals can make loyal, hardworking employees when given a fair chance.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- There are over 70 million Americans with a conviction history, and this number is expected to reach 100 million by 2030, making it a significant talent pool that companies cannot afford to overlook.
- Formerly incarcerated individuals face numerous barriers and discrimination in finding employment, even after serving their sentences, due to outdated HR processes and societal stigma.
- Employment is a crucial factor in reducing recidivism rates, with studies showing that formerly incarcerated individuals who find living-wage jobs within 3-6 months of release have a recidivism rate of only 8%.
- Companies need to develop concrete strategies, tools, and roadmaps to properly assess and contextualize formerly incarcerated candidates, rather than automatically disqualifying them based on their records.
- The Bank on 100 Million campaign aims to help companies operationalize their DEI commitments by providing resources, tools, and partnerships to facilitate the hiring of formerly incarcerated talent.
- Hiring formerly incarcerated individuals not only taps into a valuable talent pool but also aligns with companies' DEI and corporate social responsibility goals.
- Societal attitudes and systems surrounding formerly incarcerated individuals need to be "rehabilitated" to reduce recidivism and enable successful reintegration into communities.
- The guests advocate for a collaborative approach, working directly with organizations to understand and address their specific barriers to hiring formerly incarcerated talent.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “So we know that unless and until you have the tools that you need, right. The strategies that you need, if you're able to develop a roadmap for you and your company, all of the goodwill in the world isn't going to change internal process.“ by Susan Mason
- “What needs to be rehabilitated? At this moment, it feels more like is society at large, that when we think of the fact that almost 40% of the people who come home from prison go back to prison, what I know for a fact is prison life is no way of a life.“ by Teresa Hodge
- “If you give a person a living wage job within three to six months after they're released, the re offense rate is somewhere around 8%. The odds of them going back to prison is about 8%.“ by Susan Mason
- “We are directly impacted by that problem and by getting into community together and, like, saying, okay, what's going on at your organization? What are the barriers? Is it at risk management? Is it the C suite level? Are you running into security issues? Do you have an HR policy, or is it regulatory and licensing? What's the roadmap for you? What's the roadmap for your sector?“ by Susan Mason
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Episode Information
The Will To Change: Uncovering True Stories of Diversity & Inclusion
Jennifer Brown
6/2/21
This episode, originally recorded as a DEI Community Call, features Susan Mason, Teresa Hodge and former NFL player Jordan Babineaux, the managing partners of the Bank on 100 Million Network as they discuss how corporations operationalize their DEI commitments to hiring FIT (formerly incarcerated talent). Discover the startling statistics about overcriminalization, why the current system continues to punish and marginalize formerly incarcerated talent, and how that is negatively impacting not just that talent, but DEI and talent strategies for organizations.