Second Chance Job and Resource Fair in Aberdeen offers fresh start for formerly incarcerated
Sep. 30—Joshua Whitaker was grateful that Harford County opened its doors to previously arrested or incarcerated adults Wednesday at its fifth-annual Second Chance Job and Resource Fair at the EPICENTER community center in Aberdeen.
"This program right here allows for new opportunities with a second chance at life," said Whitaker, who was incarcerated for three years for arson. "This allows you to look at life differently. You don't have to be cramped up in a dark space. Without this, I was in a dark world because I was thinking, what am I going to do next?"
The goal of the fair is to connect returning citizens with employers and important resources and employers to help reduce barriers to success, said Natasha Jackson, manager of human relations and mediation for Harford County. The fair was also open to jobseekers who are family members of current or formerly incarcerated individuals.
"More than 3,000 children in Harford County have a parent under criminal supervision, so the impact on families is large," County Executive Barry Glassman said in a statement. "Those who have been incarcerated need jobs to help rebuild their lives and employers need workers — now more than ever. Harford County's Second Chance Job Fair connects them to each other to help strengthen our families and our community."
The fair also helped formerly incarcerated people feel like a person instead of a second-class citizen, said Tiffany Arndt, a mother who was incarcerated for a month.
"It's nice just to feel like we are still people, and we are not outcasts," Arndt said. "People make mistakes people are human and that shouldn't ruin our lives."
Arndt said that the average person doesn't understand how difficult it is for anyone who has been incarcerated to find and keep a job because of their background. That causes many people to head down dark path again, she said.
"We sit there and think we are doing good. Then we just get kicked back right to the bottom," Arndt said.
More opportunities to earn a source of income would mean less of an urge to commit a crime to survive, Ardnt said.
Whitaker agreed.
"It's like the conversations go good until they hear you have a felony," Whitaker said. "If there were more opportunities like this, it would stop a lot. It would stop people from going back to the streets. They would get jobs and take care of their family."
Research from Rand Corporation finds that formerly incarcerated people perform the same as or better than employees without criminal records, said Cynthia Mumby, the county's director of governmental and community relations.
"Those on probation are highly motivated to find employment, have to maintain employment as a condition of their release, and most are drug-tested by their probation officer at no expense to employers," Mumby said.
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Dave Eddings of Humanim, one the resource agencies at the event, said communities should offer more opportunities like this since there is an economic incentive for the local government.
Along with stimulating the economy, Second Chance employers can benefit from federal tax credits, Mumby said. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program offers employers up to $2,400 per employee each year, Mumby said.
The job fair also featured resources like mediation, legal assistance, housing assistance and more.
Jackson said that research shows that what people do within the first three days of getting out of jail they will continue to do, which is why Harford County offers services to help people just getting out, she said. The county works to connect people with these resources before they get out to help reduce the risks of people returning to jail, Jackson said.
To learn about other resources available to individuals who have experienced incarceration, contact Natasha Jackson, manager of human relations and mediation at njjackson@harfordcountymd.gov.
