Jails to Jobs aims to help inmates adjust to life on the out
The Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County knows it’s not easy for inmates to get jobs once they are released from jail. Wednesday a career panel spoke to inmates to give them pointers on how to land a job with a record.
NewsChannel 5 was at Round Tree Men’s Medium Security Facility to listen in on that meeting, where inmates were eager to learn how to turn their lives around.
Raul Ramirez was sentenced to two years in jail for multiple DUI’s and like other inmates he was carefully listening to what the career panel had to say.
“It’s tough, it just feels like life is crumbling down on you. So I’m just grateful to have this opportunity with this county’s doing right now,” said Ramirez.
Ramirez said he felt a lot of shame when he got locked up, but like many other inmates hearing about the “jails to jobs,” workshop, there’s now a light at the end of the tunnel.
“Being on the other side of the fence right now just makes me, the fact that they are giving us another opportunity just makes me real happy to know that my background or my current situation isn’t going to be held against me,” said Ramirez.
That’s exactly what Alcance program director, Erin Nelson-Serrano wants the inmates to understand, to not allow the past define you when applying for jobs.
“They’ll say well I’ve been to prison I’m a three timer, you know they’ll talk about their cases as if that defines them and I think that we want to change the way that people self identify, especially in custody,” said Serrano.
The director of Alcance said they have connections with many local businesses that will hire ex-inmates as long as they have the qualifications. But tattoos can be a deal breaker, so through a free program inmates can get their tattoos removed. Ramirez doesn’t plan on removing his tattoo of his daughter, he said he’s trying to turn his life around for her.
“I want to get back out there and help individuals with addictions individuals going through gangs, young adults,” said Ramirez.
The “jail to jobs,” pilot started in January and so far about 70 percent of the inmates released have landed full time jobs once they got out.
“Anxious to hit the next workshop make my resume try to get myself back out there,” said Ramirez.
In a couple of months members of Alcance said they plan to host a skill building workshop for the inmates and they’ll bring along some employers to chat with them as well.
