Right on Crime, SLCC and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office are hosting an employer engagement forum tomorrow.
The event is aimed at educating employers on the benefits of hiring former inmates who are transitioning back into the community. Employment is a major contributor to reducing the chances of an offender going back to jail after being released.
The event will be held at the Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Complex off Willow Street at 9 a.m.
All types of businesses, from restaurants to factories or car shops are encouraged to attend and hear about the benefits of the program.
“So employers need employees. Those who are coming out of DOC facilities and facilities like the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center are receiving technical training that would be similar to training they would receive in local community colleges. They’re also receiving life skills and soft skills,” said Scott Peyton, state director of Right on Crime.
About 18,000 people are released from Louisiana jails annually. Of those, about 43 percent will return to jail within five years.
