Opportunity Meets Preparation: APPA and CJEI Team Up

The death of a Rikers Island detainee last week marked the ninth death in New York City Department of Corrections custody in 2023. “In the face of systemic failures, it is even more important to break the cycle of incarceration and recidivism,” said Jodi Anderson Jr. “Ensuring job opportunities for justice-impacted individuals is one of the most important ways to break that cycle, and when it comes to what we’ve seen happen at Rikers, second-chance job fairs like these are now a matter of protecting lives.”

The American Probation and Parole Association’s (APPA) 48th Annual Training Institute took place in New York City from August 27-30. The hybrid event included workshops, speaker series, networking opportunities and a successful second-chance job fair supported by Cornell ILR’s Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative (CJEI). 

“The job fair aided in spreading the message that it is vital employers are willing to hire justice-involved individuals,” said Veronica Cunningham, executive director/CEO of APPA. “These individuals have a variety of skills and talents that can easily benefit local employers. They need a second chance at employment. It is good business for employers who can see the untapped talents of those with criminal records and who are willing to invest in human potential. New York is the perfect backdrop for this.”

“APPA’s position as the voice of the community corrections industry is integral to our own criminal justice and employment reform efforts,” said Anderson Jr, director of technological innovation at CJEI. “This job fair set the stage for a burgeoning partnership between CJEI and APPA. There is going to be some important collaboration between us, specifically with our new Restorative Record project.”

Launched in April 2022, the Restorative Record project helps justice-involved job candidates create non-traditional résumés that highlight core competencies and micro-credentials.

“New technology allows justice-involved individuals to be more easily connected with employers who are willing to hire them,” said Cunningham. “Technological advances can also be used to introduce the entire job candidate (employment history, unique talents/experiences, testimonies from references, etc.) to employers, improving their chances of gaining employment.”

Combining the utility of the Restorative Record project with the APPA’s vast and proven network is an immense opportunity to disrupt the cycle of incarceration and reoffense. “Half the battle is simply matching the resources to the individuals, so I’m incredibly excited to pair this great tool with the community corrections opportunities only APPA has,” said Anderson Jr.