Latest Stories
Here’s what we've been up to recently.
Colorado's New Initiative Will Attempt To Raise Employment Rate For Ex-Cons
When it comes to our prison system, we need to push toward rehabilitation, not reincarceration. The lack of employment opportunities for ex-convicts raises a question that Colorado Attorney Phil Weiser seeks to address with a $1.1million initiative with the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) and other community organizations.
Rommy Kassim
12/31/2021
ICYMI: Maine's "Ban The Box" Is In Effect
Finding a job just became a little bit easier in Maine. The state has officially enacted Legislative Document 1167, which bans private employers from asking applicants about their criminal history early in the hiring process. LD 1167 was signed into law in July, and officially took effect on October 18th.
Rommy Kassim
12/28/2021
Facebook Ditches Facial Recognition
As technology advances at a rapid pace, it also becomes more and more invasive. There's been quite a bit of uncertainty surrounding regulation and privacy concerns for Facebook users, which prompted the organization to scale back its Facial Recognition system for more than 1 billion users.
Rommy Kassim
12/24/2021
Florida Lawmaker Introduces Ambitious Legialsation
Florida Rep. Dotie Joseph (D) has filed some very ambitious legislation, titled the "Collateral Consequences of Convictions and Decriminalization of Cannabis and All Drugs Act." This bill's ultimate goal is to decriminalize all drugs, though it also contains language that would bring relief to those with existing drug convictions.
Rommy Kassim
12/14/2021
HOPE Act Would Encourage States To Provide Marijuana Crime Expunctions
Reps. Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have banded together on a bill that would incentivize states to expunge marijuana-related charges. The bill, titled the Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act, will give federal grants to cover the costs of identifying and clearing non-violent, eligible cases.
Rommy Kassim
12/12/2021
The Fair Chance Licensing Project Will Reduce Employment Barriers For Ex-Offenders
Ex-offenders face a number of hardships designed to keep them from succeeding in the workforce. In attempts to reduce these hardships, the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center motioned the Fair Chance Licensing Project, a notion set in place to assist ex-offenders in finding employement and offer solutions to labor shortages across all 50 states.
Rommy Kassim
12/6/2021