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'Second Chance Veteran Hiring' Urged For Vets With Crime Records

The business sector and government agencies should prioritize the hiring of veterans with criminal records, the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) Veterans Justice Commission said in a new set of recommendations. Promoting “second chance veteran” hiring would enhance public safety, honor veterans’ sacrifices, and support their efforts to thrive, said a 15-member commission chaired by former U.S. Defense Secretary and Sen. Chuck Hagel that includes former Defense Secretary and White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta. The group said Congress should require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide medical and mental health care for incarcerated veterans, restoring a long-held benefit eliminated 25 years ago.


Because finding a job is a daunting challenge for veterans and others leaving jail or prison, the commission called on the business community to collaborate with correctional facilities, technology platforms, and community supervision agencies to prioritize veterans. The panel created a model hiring policy with best practices for recruiting and employing justice-involved veterans. The Second Chance Business Coalition, a network of companies committed to hiring people with criminal records, advised the commission. “Too many veterans leaving our criminal justice system struggle to find work and resume their lives as contributing members of their families and communities,” said Hagel, the only Vietnam veteran to have served as Secretary of Defense. “This is unacceptable. America’s business and government leaders must do more to honor veterans’ service to this country by reducing barriers that bar them from the jobs they need to succeed.” Among 200,000 service members who leave the armed forces each year, many struggle with mental health and substance use disorders, the effects of PTSD, homelessness, and criminality. One in three veterans report having been arrested and booked into jail at least once.

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A daily report co-sponsored by Arizona State University, Criminal Justice Journalists, and the National Criminal Justice Association

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