Project Description:
The Jail to Jobs Pipeline Project (J2J) seeks to integrate individuals with criminal records into the workforce to address two critical issues: recidivism and the labor shortage. Massachusetts, where a nontrivial share of residents has a criminal record, is uniquely positioned to pioneer a jail-to-jobs pipeline. The Commonwealth has a state-wide and state-funded reentry network through the Community Justice Support Centers (CJSCs), which aim to create streamlined and easy-to-access reentry resources. Northeastern Law School and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice are partnering with the Office of Community Corrections to document and enhance CJSC usage rates, expand the network of “CORI-friendly” (or criminal record-friendly) employers, and ultimately help connect job applicants with records to stable and meaningful employment.
The Criminal Justice Task Force previously developed the Reentry Resource App, a digital compilation of updated reentry resources throughout the state. In collaboration with Suffolk University Law School’s Legal Innovation & Technology Lab and other partners, the app offers a searchable database categorized by location and need with information on over 1,200 resources available for Massachusetts residents.
