On the legislative front...

From thecrimereport.org comes news  that Sen. Jim Webb's bill to set  up a  national commission on criminal justice reform has been redrafted.  It could be taken up again by the Senate Judiciary Committee as early as tomorrow.  Apparently, there had been complaints the measure didn't have enough state and local representation on the panel.  That's been corrected as noted here.

Meanwhile, the folks at the Legal Action Center tell me that work is afoot to ensure that the The Second Chance Act of 2008  is definitely renewed after it's three-year authorization runs out.  Attorneys, advocates, legislators and other interested parties are evaluating what, if any, changes need to be made to make the bill more effective.  The Second Chance Act provides $165 million to fund education, treatment and  re-entry services for ex-offenders.  Awards have been announced throughout the country, but local agencies and non-profits must wait until Congress has authorized the budget before the monies will be released.

As to other legislation:  Sen. Charles Rangel's two bills on expungement and returning voting rights to former offenders are again unlikely to see any activity in this year's session.

Goal setting for people who hate to plan

At the beginning of the employability  course I teach, we always work through a section on setting short and long-term goals. 

It makes sense.  You're not going to accomplish anything without a plan to get there, right?

Trouble is, more than half of the class typically balks at this exercise. I don't know how this compares to the general poplation, but among offenders I've worked with -- getting those goals down and then following through can be a challenge.

"It just  so overwhelming. I put down all these ideas, then I  don't know where to begin."

"Writing down your dreams is depressing.  What if you fail?

"What good is it to make goals if you don't know the steps to reach them?"

And those are just the comments students have made aloud.

These concerns are understandable. Particularly when you consider that people who get in trouble often wrestle with goal-thwarting behaviors like impulsivity, substance abuse, dishonesty or the need for instant gratification. Making a list, being systematic and having  patience can be a lot of work.  And not just for ex-offenders, by the way.  As someone who has struggled with this personally, I'm well aware of all the tricks the mind can play when it comes to not doing what you set out to do.

So in this post, I've tried to lay out some goal-setting tips to help even the most reluctant achiever stay on track:     

1. Write down your dreams . . .
 I'd like to tell you that you can get around having to writing about what you want to do in life -- that if you just hold the idea  in your head you'll get there.  Unfortunately,  it doesn't work that way. You've got to get your thoughts down, somewhere, in some way so  that you can see them, acknowledge them, remember them and hold yourself accountable. As education recruiters at Spelman and Johnson Group in Eastham, MA have noted : A goal not written down is just a wish.

2. ....but do it your own way
Some people begin by listing their long-term goals --  things like working at their dream job, getting married and  having a family or saving a certain amount of money. Then they break each of these goals into the  individual steps it will take to achieve them. You, on the other hand,  might feel  more comfortable just writing in a journal about what you want to do. Once some goals emerge you can start breaking them down into individual actions from there.  Or maybe you're a more visual person, who likes to see all the options.  As one student said to me, "what if one goal falls through, where do I put my plan B?" This student felt more comfortable diagramming her goals in  a web so she could see how everything was connected.  That way if one option didn't pan out she could plot some alternatives.

So don't worry about format -- just get it down.

3. Take baby steps.
 Once you've have acknowledged what you want, the next step is to consider what you need to do to get it.. If your long-term goal is to be working as a healthcare technician, for example, some short-term steps might be to:

•  Find out what education/licensing  is required.
• Explore interim  jobs, perhaps in the industry.
• . Research grants and scholarships.
•  Talk to people who work in the industry to learn what they do.
•  Fill out an application for school.

Each step by itself might not seem like much.  This is a good thing. You can  tackle them one by one and feel a sense of accomplishment each time.  Rewarding yourself at each step in the process will keep you motivated and make it more likely that you'll reach your goal.  If you wait for the big payoff at the end, you're not only being unrealistic, but setting yourself up to get discouraged.  

4.  Let go of perfection.
No matter what you hope to achieve, not everything is going to go as planned.  A job you want could fall through.  Or you may start pursuing a path or interest only to later realize it doesn't work for you.  This is not failure, but part of the  process.  The key to keeping it from derailing you is a) realizing this is going to happen, and b) Try to identify and write down the obstacles you might encounter along the way beforehand.  This will help you think through alternative actions to take if a goal proves unrealistic or otherwise unattainable (as some goals do in everyone's life).

 For example, say your dream is to be a  medical technician.  Only in doing your research you discover that in your state, getting licensing with a felony might be difficult. Although this would be disappointing, if you've planned properly, you've also considered what other professions you might pursue if healthcare doesn't work. You've also saved yourself time and heartache by figuring this out early.  Instead of feeling like a failure, you can  use the setback to revise your plans and change direction.
 
5. Don't think. Act.

For many of us, it's easy to get stuck. Putting those goals down can take so much effort it may seem like it's time for a break.  Or there's so much to do, you're  overwhelmed or afraid to begin.  Or maybe you're so good at seeing that picture in your head, that you want to keep looking at it, or to keep revising it on paper until it's perfect.

Don't.  The purpose of goal-setting is to provide a plan of action.  So if you feel yourself getting lost in the dream or the details, just stop.  Go down your list and find something -- anything -- you can do.  And do it.  Right away.  Goal-setting guru Jill Koenig offers some great advice here on following through on your goals even if you don't feel like it.  According to her, if you take action now, the motivation will follow -, not the other way around.

So what are you waiting for?

Busy, busy....

Apologies that I've been unable to post as frequently.   I'm juggling a couple of writing projects and a young woman I'm mentoring will be released soon, so there's been alot going on.

Things should calm down by next week,though. Then  I hope to start visiting some  local reentry organizations  in the area and get a sense for what's on offer.  So stay tuned, keep at it and check back here soon.  I haven't forgotten you all.

In the meantime, I came across this great program they're trying in California that trains inmates as drug and alcohol counselors to help each other and themselves.  As the author notes:

"As many as 60-80 percent of the people in prison today are incarcerated due to alcohol or other drug-related legal problems. Addiction is one of the main reasons the recidivism rate is so high. Even those who begin their recovery behind bars are at high-risk for relapse upon release due to the stresses of new environments and other obstacles . . ."

Seems like a win-win to me -- a way to help offenders,  help themselves.  It's not surprising that a couple of inmates I've worked with have been very interested in getting into drug and alcohol counseling upon their release. This kind of constructive program could help them get some of the training they need.

Some great resources

   If you're interested in truck driving -- and a lot of my students have been -- this site  has some useful information about companies that are willing to hire ex-offenders.  It also spells out what felonies will  disqualify you.   It's written by a truck driver who really knows his stuff -- so he doesn't mess around when it comes to telling you what truck companies will put up with and what they won't. 

I also have to give a shout out to the Rethinking Reentry blog, which this  week  introduced me to my newest favorite website, the National Reentry Resource Center.  For the longest time I've been looking for a site that pulls together not only the best sources of help for ex-offenders, but also some of the best practices and best thinking about how to assist former felons in rebuilding their lives.   And now I've found it.  Check it out. 

See, it's not just you...

It might feel like it sometimes, but ex-offenders aren't the only ones having difficulty finding work in this economy. An article in today's Wall Street Journal explains how employers are increasingly reluctant to hire people who have been laid off more than once -- even if the recession is to blame. Apparently, the number of Americans who have lost their jobs twice in the past two years is not only growing, but "their ranks are larger than in past recessions."  What's more, adds job coach Jeffrey Garber,

"Those who have lost jobs twice recently will have to work twice as hard to convince the next employer why they ought to be hired there. Many businesses believe such individuals lack abilities and credibility rather than being victims of economic circumstance."

Just goes to show you that people can be stigmatized for something other than having a record -- and often have no choice but to take a job beneath their abilities.  One  poor woman they interviewed, who  started out as an HR exec at Circuit City, had to scramble recently to get an hourly administrative job. To me her story seems to illustrate more how short-sighted some employers can be.  Given that Circuit City went belly-up and the her next company wasn't doing that well either, doesn't really seem to be her skills that are in question here.

But then, we know that what employers think isn't necessarily an accurate assessment of your abilities, anyway.  If there's anything worth taking away from this article it's some of the strategies suggested for second-time job losers, which could be just as useful for ex-offenders, imo.  You can check it out here.

Is a new identity the answer?

I recently received this question from a reader::

Q: My son has been out of prison for almost a year and a half.  In that time he has applied for jobs everywhere, fast food, construction, retail -- you name it --  but no one will hire him. Every time they do a background check his conviction comes up and he never hears from the people again.  And if he is honest on his application or in an interview, forget it!  No matter how much he tries to explain that he has changed it doesn't seem to work. And all this because of  this for one stupid mistake he made at 21 -- a mistake that HE HAS PAID FOR!   I don't know what he is going to do if he can't find something soon.   A friend of ours says he should get his social security number changed so his record will not come up in the background checks.  My son really wants to do it -- he is so desperate.   I feel we are running out of choices.  Does this even work without changing his name and if so, how can we do it?

A:  I'm really sorry you son is having such a difficult time.  It's a tough job market out there for everyone, and having a record only makes things harder.  I can sympathize with your son's frustration and understand why the idea of starting fresh would be appealing. 

Unfortunately, changing his social security number is unlikely to help him.  Although the government does give  new numbers in cases where  abuse, harassment or identity theft are involved, a) you have to prove it, and b) it can be costly since of your benefits are linked to your social security number. In addition, any new social security number would still be linked to the old one in federal records, which means your son's conviction would still come up in a background search as noted here.    

The only way your son is truly going to put his past behind him is by building a record of work experience and achievement going forward.  You don't mention his skills or  how much education he has, but while he continues to look for work this is where I'd focus. Whether he's looking at getting a college degree, training or certification, there are a variety of grants, scholarships and government financing that can make the cost of these programs affordable, as I've noted here.  If your son is interested in learning a trade like plumbing or being an electrician, apprenticeships offer the opportunity to be paid while he learns.

In the meantime, it might be worthwhile for him  to visit  a reentry organization near where you live, (you can look for one here) or  a One-stop Career Center. These places typically have counselors used to dealing with ex-offenders who might be able to help your son  with his resume or interview skills.  If you belong to a church, he might also consider volunteering there on community-related or other projects.  This would enable him to do something constructive and develop contacts who might be able to serve as references or help him find paid work.

I know this isn't necessarily the answer you were looking for, but I hope this helps. Good luck to you both and be sure and check back to let me know how you're doing.