Housing
79% are ineligible or denied housing.
Employment
Less than 10% receive a callback.
Education
Less than 20% admitted to colleges.
1 in 3 Americans Have a Record
A criminal record can be a lifelong barrier to economic security and mobility, with adverse effects on families, communities, and our entire economy.
Intergenerational Continuity
45% of American males have a record by age 23
Formerly Incarcerated
67% remain unemployed five years after release
Child Support
More than one-third cannot pay and face additional penalties
650,000
Released from prison back to their communities each year
4,400,000
Adults are currently supervised on probation or parole
180,000
Women are banned from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
45,000
Laws restrict access to occupational licenses
1 in 2 children have at least one parent with a criminal record
The consequences of having a criminal record do not occur in isolation but have direct and substantial impacts for families and communities. These barriers undermine the five pillars of family well-being—income, savings and assets, education, housing, and family strength and stability—and, in turn, negatively affect family cohesion. As a result, people with records lose access to opportunities, driving and keeping their families in poverty across generations.
These children are six times more likely to be justice involved during their youth – especially if their mother has been incarcerated
Assistance
1 in 5 people with a record who sought support were denied public benefits like food stamps, most with children living in the home.
Employment
75% of formerly incarcerated people are still unemployed one year after release.
Loans
1 in 4 were denied or barred from educational loans because of their conviction.
Family
68% of formerly incarcerated people are forced to live with family or transitional housing.
Basic Needs
2 in 3 families report having difficulty meeting basic needs as a result of a loved one’s conviction.
Women
81% of formerly incarcerated women were unable to afford housing after release.