Pennsylvania’s First Lady, Frances Wolf, recently attended the Manufacturers’ Association for the York County Reentry Employer Roundtable to discuss the importance of second chance hiring practices. The roundtable included groups such as the York County Economic Alliance, the York County Reentry Coalition, business and nonprofit leaders, and criminal justice advocates. At the roundtable, Mrs. Wolf emphasized the administration’s commitment to supporting returning citizens. A 2018 Prison Policy Institute report shows that more than 27% of individuals formerly incarcerated are unemployed.

Both Mrs. Wolf and her husband, Governor Tom Wolf, have been committed to helping those formerly incarcerated. Gov. Wolf has taken steps such as creating a fair-chance hiring policy, updating the professional licensing criteria, and enacting the nation’s first clean slate law to ease hiring difficulties. Now Mr. Wolf is proposing that $1 million be added to the state’s 2022 budget. The funds would be used towards reentry services for women at the local level. This could help reduce recidivism and give women better opportunities, especially for those who are mothers and act as the head of the household.

The PA Department of Corrections notes that there are approximately 2,000 women in Pennsylvania’s State Correctional Institutions (SCIs), with 67% of the women serving five or fewer years. Additionally, 70% are mothers and heads of households. Mrs. Wolf led a virtual roundtable series, Women in Reentry, to underline the challenges women face with reentering their communities.

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