It Starts with Us: Bringing Financial Literacy and Other Reentry Resources to the Community

A criminal background makes it difficult or almost impossible for returning citizens to get a job, and most jobs conduct background checks. A survey conducted by The Society For Human Resources Management revealed that an estimated 92% of employers conduct a background check.

The job market is competitive today, but imagine applying for a job knowing that you may be automatically rejected because of your past. For those who can find a job, it is often unmanageable because of the mandatory check-ins and rules the newly released have to abide by, which may interfere with working hours. 

The lack of housing for those with a criminal background is another reason why some may return to the streets and potentially re-offend. Many landlords also conduct a background check and won’t approve housing if a criminal background is found.

According to the Center for American Progress, an estimated four out of five landlords use background checks to screen prospective tenants with criminal records.

These are just a few of the challenges the recently released faces. Many of these challenges end up affecting their family members as well. 

DA C.A.R.E.S also offers support for the families of homicide victims. They assist with grief counseling resources and fund funerals, among other things.

Mark Pittman, an associate of DA C.A.R.E.S, says that few people know about the kind of work they offer, and events like this are essential because they can bring the community together.

“This event is very informative because it helps not only the white community or the black community,” said Pittman. “It helps every community… It’s everyone, it’s a community. When you have these things, it supports the outsourcing and resources for Philadelphia.”

Michael Childs, who was formally incarcerated and a Community Advisory Committee member, orchestrated this workshop. He gained financial readiness before his release and decided to share his story after reflecting on his transition process.

While in prison, Childs took a financial literacy class where he says he “sponged” the information. A fellow inmate told him how adding a family member to a positive credit profile can ease their re-entry process. 

Childs shared this information with his sister and friend, who added him to their credit lines. His credit score was boosted without him essentially doing anything, and he returned home with a 700 credit score after being locked up for eight years. 

“That alone gave me a boost that I don’t know what my life would have been like if I didn’t have that connection with my family,” said Childs. 

Childs shared how this helped him get an apartment and a car without worry or stress. He says that if families take these proactive approaches, they can help their loved ones come home and stay home. 

“We focus a lot on getting employment when we come home; we focus a lot on drug classes or parole, the things that you have to do, but I think when you accept that there are going to be some financial challenges, you can tackle them proactively while you’re incarcerated,” he said.

Most negative credit information disappears after seven years, and if you are locked away during that time, once released, you are back to square one and have no credit. 

Sabrina Robinson, a resident of North Philadelphia, says that her family members have been experiencing difficulty getting back on their feet upon release. She is grateful for workshops like this because not many know this information is available. 

“Some of them had a hard time…. Sometimes, people don’t know where to go. [Not] everybody comes out of jail or prison broke, but some do. A lot of times, with their records, it may be hard for them to get jobs and housing. 

The resources are available to help decrease recidivism. It is up to the community to spread this information and become an active part of the solution.