There are a lot of people from Blair County regularly entering prison — and a lot regularly coming out — and employers have an important role to play in promoting the well-being of those coming out, and thereby the well-being of the community as a whole, according to a speaker at a “fair chance” hiring workshop this week.

In the past year, 225 individuals were sentenced to state prison from Blair County, “and for the most part, they’re coming home” at some point in the not-too-distant future, according to Katie Urban, program manager for reintegration services at Goodwill of the Southern Alleghenies, who spoke at the event, hosted by the Blair County Prison Re-entry Coalition and PA CareerLink Blair County.

For ex-inmates, it’s extremely hard to secure a job, and yet getting and keeping one is a key to preventing recidivism, which hurts the community at large because it deprives the community of the potential productivity of such individuals — even as it costs tax dollars to re-incarcerate those people; not to mention the deleterious effects on the individuals themselves of being locked up again, according to Urban.

About three-quarters of former inmates remain unemployed a year after leaving prison, Urban said.

“A huge number,” she said.

That joblessness is the “single most important factor” leading to recidivism, which is costly enough to society that reducing it by just 10% nationally would save $635 million a year in averted prison expenses, according to Urban, citing a 2011 report by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Council of State Governments Justice Center.

Former inmates remain jobless so often — and have such trouble getting hired — because of their criminal records, Urban said.

There are good reasons for employers to do their part to cut into the dismal unemployment numbers for former inmates, according to Urban.

On the positive side for employers, former inmates tend to be highly motivated and dedicated to their jobs, because their opportunities for employment elsewhere tend to be scarce, Urban said.

“(They’re likely) going to bend over backwards for their employer, because they can’t walk out the door and easily get other work,” she said.

Inmates who worked in prison for pennies a day are especially likely to appreciate jobs on the outside that pay a living wage, she said.

Employers who engage in fair chance hiring can also benefit from incentives like tax credits.

On the positive side for the community, former inmates who are employed are less likely to commit crimes that could hurt those communities, because when individuals feel “embraced,” they’re less likely to lash out, she said.

According to Urban, the large number of unemployed former inmates also represents an untapped pool of talent — one that is especially valuable in a time of almost universal worker shortage.

Still, there are “always risks and fears,” she acknowledged.

Employers may wonder whether a former inmate might commit a crime against the company or become a frequent absentee, she said. There is also the possibility of resistance from fellow workers.

And in some cases, there can be an increase in liability insurance premiums.

There’s no “100 percent guarantee,” she said.

But there’s no such guarantee for any hiree, ever, she said.

The sensible approach is to interview formerly incarcerated applicants first, then review their records, then evaluate available employment opportunities to identify positions for which the crimes committed by those applicants won’t create issues, she said.

To make “fair chance” hiring successful, employers may need to provide extra help with computer training, procurement of certifications, obtaining appropriate apparel, along with the provision of mental health or substance abuse counseling, Urban said.

Employers can seek assistance with such matters from agencies and programs like CareerLink and Goodwill and organizations like churches, she said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.