Of the nearly 46,000 inmates currently incarcerated in the state, roughly 92% will remain in Arizona upon release. ARIZONA@WORK is providing inmates nearing release with comprehensive workforce services in Second Chance Centers located inside three state prisons. Upon release, reentry workforce services are offered at NATIVE HEALTH, two Reentry Centers, Parole offices, and in ARIZONA@WORK offices throughout the state.
Here are just some of the reasons why it’s a good idea to give former inmates a second chance by adding them to your labor force.
- A Real Second Chance: In March 2017, Governor Ducey launched the Second Chance program to prepare inmates for success in Arizona’s workforce. Providing former inmates a second chance through gainful employment gives the individuals who have paid their debts to society the opportunity to become self-sufficient members of our communities. Additionally, many Arizona employers report that the former inmates they’ve hired have been some of the most loyal and committed employees they’ve had.
![A man stands on road lifting up a brick wall with both arms; the road continues into a field of grass and bright skies](https://des.az.gov/sites/default/files/second-chance.png?time=1644301518)
- Tax Credit: Employers are eligible for $2,400 in tax credits through the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program for each former “qualified ex-felon” they hire.
![a person's handing dollar bills to another's open palm](https://des.az.gov/sites/default/files/paying-cash.png?time=1644301518)
- Federal Bonding: In Arizona, employers are eligible to procure $5,000 of Fidelity Bond insurance for a six-month period at no cost to protect them against loss and/or damage for each at-risk employee they hire.
![people sitting around a large shield with a keyhole in the center of it](https://des.az.gov/sites/default/files/security.png?time=1644301518)
- Break the Cycle of Incarceration: There are roughly 6.9 million individuals incarcerated or on parole in the United States of which more than two thirds will recidivate within three years of release. Mass incarceration has a multi-generational effect on families as well as their communities. Gainful employment is a leading disruptor in this cycle as it offers previous offenders’ purpose and a way to earn a living.
![two men inside a prison cell; one is shaving, while the other sits on a bed, reading](https://des.az.gov/sites/default/files/prison-cell.png?time=1644301518)
- Safer Communities: Gainful employment reduces the likelihood that former inmates living in our communities will reoffend.
![people walk or ride bikes; tall buildings are in the background](https://des.az.gov/sites/default/files/city-people.png?time=1644301518)
- Taxpayer Savings: It costs more than $25,000 annually to incarcerate each inmate in Arizona. Saving taxpayer monies on incarceration will allow Arizona to use the funding elsewhere to support our communities.
![a person's hand placing a coin into a piggy bank](https://des.az.gov/sites/default/files/savings.png?time=1644301518)
To learn more about Arizona’s reentry workforce services for job seekers and employers, please visit https://des.az.gov/services/employment/reentry-services.
* Sources: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Vera The Price of Prisons