- Sep 12, 2009
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Written by Lorraine Chow
Finding employment after being in prison can be next to impossible.
Not only do these people have to battle the stigma of a criminal record, they are also barred from some
types of jobs entirely, including those in the childcare, education and healthcare fields. It’s no wonder
that so many ex-felons turn back to a life of crime just to get by; two-thirds are re-arrested within
three years of their release.
But in Little Rock, Ark., one woman has given thousands of former inmates a second chance to
contribute to society, local station THV11 reports.
For the past three decades, Darlene Lewis’s nonprofit organization, the Lewis-Burnett
Employment Finders Inc., has helped ex-offenders prepare for interviews, assisted with job
placement and provided help with resume writing and GED prep — all at no cost.
Last year alone, the nonprofit aided 2,000 men and women find full-time jobs, reports say. The
organization also helps with housing and advocates for offenders in court.
Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/in-a-si...felons-find-full-time-jobs.html#ixzz3VWHv2rD2
Finding employment after being in prison can be next to impossible.
Not only do these people have to battle the stigma of a criminal record, they are also barred from some
types of jobs entirely, including those in the childcare, education and healthcare fields. It’s no wonder
that so many ex-felons turn back to a life of crime just to get by; two-thirds are re-arrested within
three years of their release.
But in Little Rock, Ark., one woman has given thousands of former inmates a second chance to
contribute to society, local station THV11 reports.
For the past three decades, Darlene Lewis’s nonprofit organization, the Lewis-Burnett
Employment Finders Inc., has helped ex-offenders prepare for interviews, assisted with job
placement and provided help with resume writing and GED prep — all at no cost.
Last year alone, the nonprofit aided 2,000 men and women find full-time jobs, reports say. The
organization also helps with housing and advocates for offenders in court.
Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/in-a-si...felons-find-full-time-jobs.html#ixzz3VWHv2rD2