Jordan Poverty Q4
Most people would be very surprised to discover that in the state of California today, 90 of the 100 fastest growing occupations ban people with a past conviction. A statistic like that underscores just how difficult it is for the eoght million people in our state living with a past conviction to regain an economic foothold and place in the economy. Employers should commit to providing equal employment opportunities to all people, regardless of an applicant’s criminal background. But this is a problem that extends far beyond individual employers. Many jobs in some of our economy’s fastest growing sectors have licensing requirements, and licensing agencies often deny eligibility to anyone with a past conviction. So people are effectively shut out long before it even gets to the point of applying for a particular job. As a result, individuals, families and entire communities are relegated to remaining in poverty with little hope for economic upliftment. We need to limit and eliminate the impact a past mistake has on people looking to get back on track by securing a good job that will help them support their families.
