Second Chance Events Around Louisiana
Second Chance Month throughout the month of April is a time to increase awareness and opportunities for those reentering society after time in prison. The benefits accrue not only them, but to public safety as a whole each time positive outcomes are realized. The commemoration also highlights the kind of effective coordination between private organizations and public agencies that makes redemption, rehabilitation, and long-lasting public safety improvements possible throughout communities.
Louisiana’s Department of Public Safety and Corrections (LADPSC) is collaborating with multiple groups on the state and local level to host events and activities aimed at providing the resources and information necessary to a successful reentry. Many of the events have an emphasis on career readiness and connecting with employers. From a second chance employment and expungement event in Donaldsonville to a Transportation Worker Identification (TWIC) card assistance event in Lake Charles, the offerings are varied and meet a variety of needs associated with gaining employment and income after time in prison.
Also in collaboration with the LADPSC, Goodwill, Catholic Charities, and Total Community Action are hosting a career and resource fair in New Orleans. Seventeen participating employers are listed, a testament to the growing appreciation for the economic benefits of second chance hiring for both businesses and individuals.
Local groups are finding creative ways to maximize their impact in April. Operation Restoration, an organization created by formerly incarcerated women to help those in similar circumstances, is hosting pop ups across the state. The “Second Chance Pop Ups” are focused specifically on women within the 120-day window of their release date. This is a crucial time for connecting with resources and support groups, and can often set the trajectory for the rest of their lives. Reporting on the initiative, local outlet NOLAnewswire highlighted the need it is meeting: “In Louisiana, 132 women are incarcerated per 100,000 residents—one of the highest rates in the world—and more than 53,000 women return home from prisons and jails each year. The Second Chance Month Pop Ups are a direct response to this reality—creating intentional spaces for immediate support, meeting basic needs, and addressing systemic barriers.”
The agencies, organizations, and businesses of Louisiana are showing leadership in creating pathways for the formerly incarcerated to be productive contributors to society after jail and prison, not a continuing burden in a revolving door of recidivism. They’re showing that effective reentry programs and transitional services work—not only for these individuals, but for communities. And they’re capitalizing on opportunities to meet critical workforce needs across the state. These efforts are worth celebrating, and can serve as a reminder to the Louisiana Legislature, which is currently in session, of how invested our state is in a future characterized by redemption and public safety.