George Halfkenny talks about his experience with the criminal justice system in the Boston Globe. His entire life was shaped by mass incarceration, not just because of his troubled childhood, but also because he was born in the era of mass incarceration. Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous people were and continue to be disproportionally affected by mass incarceration.
In the article, he talks about the lack of support, the social stigma, and the difficulty of finding employment or housing with a criminal record, which often leads to recidivism.
He urges U.S. society to do better. "If I could learn, so could my country. We could start repairing the harm of an era of mass incarceration." - George Halfkenny
He was selected for a management training program, but was then instead fired after they ran a background check. “This kind of setback is devastating, and it keeps happening. Repeated rejection crushes the hard-earned self-worth I’ve cultivated and can drive me to make choices I know are bad for me.” - George Halfkenny
In spite of his trauma, he has hope for the future which is the reason he became a restorative justice practitioner and co-founded a nonprofit called THRIVE Communities. The organization "envisions a world where wholeness and justice replace cycles of incarceration and oppression—a world where communities THRIVE."
Read the George Halfkenny’s story in the Boston Globe here: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/02/09/opinion/ive-done-my-time-i-want-work-why-will-no-one-hire-me/
Give Second Chances
If you have open roles, we echo George's call to give people with past convictions a chance. www.HonestJobs.com/employers
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