Employer Summit Educates Tallahassee on Benefits of Hiring Former Inmates

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Tomorrow, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida and the Big Bend “A Fight to End Recidivism” (AFTER) Reentry Coalition are co-hosting the Big Bend Second Chance Employer Summit.

Event: Big Bend Second Chance Employer Summit

Location:                   
FSU Law School, Lecture Hall (Room 101)
425 W. Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301
Parking at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center

Date: Tuesday, July 26, 2016, 9:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Description: Turn someone’s life around with a second chance at a job.  Learn about the benefits of hiring a formerly incarcerated individual from employers, law enforcement, and community partners.

Keynote Speaker: Former FSU Coach Bobby Bowden

Lunch: Provided at no cost.

RSVP: All participants, including media, should RSVP at https://usaoflntraining.org/employersummit if they wish to attend any portion of the event.  The target audience is employers, human resource directors, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, and reentry providers.  Available space for 200 participants to attend.

Press: A brief media availability will take place after the event concludes.  Reporters are asked to set up camera equipment prior to the beginning of the event or during scheduled breaks.

This half-day summit will offer employers, human resource directors, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, and reentry providers an opportunity to learn from leaders who gave a previously incarcerated person a second chance.  Former FSU Football Coach Bobby Bowden will give the keynote address, and two panels will discuss benefits and challenges of hiring formerly incarcerated individuals.  Former inmates who now have successful careers will also share their reentry experiences.

“Nearly a quarter of Americans may face obstacles to achieving productive, law-abiding lives due to previous encounters with the criminal justice system,” said United States Attorney Christopher P. Canova.  “The most important challenge for these individuals is finding a job.  Employment helps reduce crime and makes neighborhoods across our district and nation better places to live.”

“We need to hear the voices of business leaders to address this economic and public safety challenge,” said Lauren Walker, Chair of the Big Bend AFTER Reentry Coalition.  “To keep our economy growing, we need all hands on deck.”

The United States Attorney’s Office and the Big Bend AFTER Reentry Coalition thank the following organizations for their assistance in planning the employer summit:

• Federal Bureau of Prisons

• Florida Department of Corrections

• Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

• FSU Project on Accountable Justice

• United States Probation Office

• The Living Harvest

Reentry Resources

• Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s message on National Reentry Week

• Big Bend “A Fight to End Recidivism” (AFTER) Reentry Coalition

• DOJ Roadmap to Reentry

• Employer Tax Credit

• Federal Bonding Program

• Kearney Center Reentry Services

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website.  For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

For more information, contact:
Amy Alexander, Public Information Officer
(850) 216-3854, amy.alexander@usdoj.gov