Mark your calendars for Reentry Awareness Week which begins on April 22, 2019. During the week, multiple agencies and organizations throughout the State of Arkansas will begin awareness campaigns to support formerly incarcerated individuals on their path back into society.
According to the Department of Justice, nearly a quarter of Americans have been involved in the criminal justice system, primarily through nonviolent and minor offenses. Every year, an estimated 11.4 million individuals cycle through jails and more than 600,000 individuals return to their communities from state and local prisons. These individuals face tremendous barriers to education, training, and jobs that will help them break the cycle of recidivism.
The Central Arkansas Workforce Development Area is collaborating with partners to provide formerly incarcerated individuals with information about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program, which assists individuals with resume building, vocational skills assessments, mock interviews and job searches, along with other other services that will improve education, employment, and other positive outcomes for these individuals.
