By Deborah Blanks, for SBT
As the void of skilled workers intensifies in Milwaukee, we need to re-think hiring practices related to people convicted of crimes. Employment for this group can keep them out of poverty and out of trouble, leading to an improved economic environment for us all. But first, we must get former convicts the skills training they need and, just as important, find employers who will give them a second chance.
Area community colleges including Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and other organizations are making great strides in creating training programs to solve the skilled-worker problem. The Social Development Commission (SDC), in partnership with MATC, helps adults get their GEDs so they can qualify for these programs.
But training alone is not enough. Increasing the supply of skilled labor to match demand requires us to think differently about criminal convictions as we consider job applicants. Employers can perform background checks or ask whether a candidate has been convicted during an interview, rather than rejecting an applicant as a matter of course without understanding the severity of the conviction and the steps taken toward self-improvement. Granted, the responsibilities of some jobs are not suited to certain criminal pasts. But, rather than reject candidates because they check a box on an application, indicating a criminal background, employers would do well to give the same consideration and intuition to criminal history that they bring to bear on other factors in a hiring decision.
A strategic redesign of hiring systems and practices with respect to former convicts could help us avoid discouraging situations for our local economy like the one that occurred recently at Milwaukee’s Tramont Corp. The fuel tank manufacturer had to turn away $10 million in new orders because it didn’t have enough workers to complete the job.
Beyond the obvious benefit of increasing revenue, Milwaukee’s business community could also save money. People earning enough money to feed, clothe and house their families are less likely to turn to crime, drugs and social services. All of these affect the cost of doing business, either directly or indirectly. Furthermore, the lack of health insurance among the unemployed ultimately exerts a great burden on the health care system, which in turn increases the corporate tax burden for state-funded health care programs and increases employee premiums. Investing in opportunities for former convicts, low-income families and other overlooked groups to improve their skills can help reduce the financial obligations from business and government.
At the SDC’s recent Youth Issues Community Dialogue, Bucyrus International Inc. chief executive officer Tim Sullivan said that his company believes in giving people second chances. The audience, including myself, admired his understanding of the need for dynamic engagement among corporations, nonprofits and overlooked groups, such as former convicts. Bucyrus’ approach to filling skilled labor positions should be a model for other corporations.
Both crime and imprisonment cost the region dearly — in money, in reputation and in potential for economic development. Meanwhile, the ability to achieve gainful employment plays a significant role in decreasing the rate of repeat offenses. Nearly 30 percent of Wisconsin convicts between 1980 and 2002 returned to prison within three years after being released.
Therefore, the lack of skilled labor presents an opportunity for business and community leaders to change hiring systems and reduce the costs associated with unemployment. In fact, there is a growing wave of interest in how employment reduces criminal recidivism crossing the country. Government at all levels and foundations nationwide are examining or funding initiatives designed to break the prison cycle.
Whether we recognize it or not, corporations and overlooked groups, such as ex-cons, are dependent on one another. We can either invest in providing people with the necessary skills to obtain family supporting jobs that bolster the community, or invest in prisons that drain the economy.
Deborah Blanks is the chief executive officer of the Social Development Commission in Milwaukee. Additional information is available at dblanks@cr-sdc.org or www.cr-sdc.org.
