Gov. Katie Hobbs issues executive order to help former inmates find jobs
Gov. Katie Hobbs launched a reentry program she hopes will reduce recidivism and increase public safety by issuing an executive order on Tuesday.
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PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs issued an executive order to help former inmates find a pathway to work on Tuesday.
“People who have served their time, taken accountability and put in the work to better themselves deserve a second chance and the opportunity to contribute to their families and our economy,” Hobbs said in a Monday news release.
Her executive order launched Arizona’s Reentry 2030 program. This is a national movement several other states are already taking part in.
Arizona reentry program to benefit former inmates as well as public, governor says
The Reentry 2030 program provides workforce development services such as apprenticeships and vocational training to people reentering society after incarceration.
“Creating pathways to work is essential to strengthening public safety and protecting taxpayer dollars,” Hobbs said.
The Reentry 2030 Working Group Hobbs created will be led by the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry.
“Through the bipartisan Reentry 2030 initiative, we’re committing to breaking down barriers and expanding access to jobs so that more Arizonans can achieve stability,” Hobbs said. “That’s good for families, good for businesses, and good for Arizona.”
The Reentry 2030 initiative reflects the governor’s Talent Ready workforce initiative, which seeks to provide access to well-paying jobs in growing industries to all Arizonans. She launched that workforce program in September.
How does Hobbs executive order’s reentry program help Arizona?
In addition to creating the working group, Hobbs’ executive order also gives outlines to various state agencies, including:
- Department of Economic Security (DES).
- Department of Juvenile Corrections.
- Office of Economic Opportunity.
- Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.
- Department of Health Services.
DES Director Michael Wisehart said the Reentry 2030 initiative will help the one in three Arizonans with a criminal record. Additionally, around 93% of people who have been incarcerated will return to society. However, in 2023, only half of people who left Arizona state prisons found jobs a year after finishing their time.
“The Reentry 2030 initiative promises to make a considerable difference in the lives of individuals looking for another opportunity,” Wisehart said in the announcement. “This work not only benefits the individual and their families, but it also benefits employers throughout the state.”
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