The U.S. not only leads the world in the number of people imprisoned, but how many we are letting out.
And those of us who follow the courts know well there’s many familiar faces that wash up every few months in the wave that is the criminal justice system.
Just how do we go about keeping those with criminal pasts from committing felonies in their futures? Washington’s Employment Security Department has one such solution (at least to get them a job anyway): Fidelity Bonds.
Who can blame a business that has second thoughts about hiring an
individual that has, say, a history of embezzlement? Well, here’s a
possible solution the department has in store:
The Employment Security Department is working to improve (felon’s) employment chances by offering employers who hire offenders free fidelity bonds to protect their businesses against employee theft, forgery or embezzlement. The amount of insurance coverage can range from $5,000 to $25,000 per worker, depending on the job.
Also according to the department, they’ve issued 148 fidelity bonds, providing about $850,000 in insurance to companies who get them.
Our nation will soon face one of the largest waves of offenders coming out of the prison system ever. Personally, I’d rather these souls be able to get some honest work — and if this program advances that cause, it’s hard to argue with it.
What does Washington State do to help those in prison learn a trade or such? Looks like a good story on what our state does to help them in need.