What does society do when inmates have served their time and paid their debts for their crime? Is there a such thing called a second chance or new lease on life? I have learned that many times it is difficult for men and women to obtain employment due to their criminal background record. Once they have entered jail and become a statistic, they are branded criminals for life.

These men and women who have children can't obtain a decent job, therefore they go back to their old ways and start the cycle of breaking the law all over again.

There's a moment that I remember of man dressed in a suit applying for a position at Wal-Mart. I began to review his application and I saw he put that he had spent time in prison. He and I started talking about what he did and how he had a family to take of now. He understood that his mistakes changed his whole life and those he cared about.

It was time for him to meet the representatives for the company and when they saw he had a criminal background they thanked him for the opportunity and moved along to the next person. The look on this man face showed me that he had thoughts to go back to old ways again.

I told him about places to apply and perhaps someone will open the door of opportunity. I never saw him again but I hope he is doing well. I think that society forgets that sometimes these men and women are someone’s mother or father, and they need to contribute to society by working, going back to school and becoming better parents and better role models.

It is so easy to label them and keep that label stapled to them for the rest of their life but what happens to them when they try to change? Is there such a thing as a second chance for a mother who robbed or a father who stole? Sometimes they are just trying to make a way to feed their family.

There is no excuse for the actions they have taken nor their crime but I do believe a mother who has paid her debt to society should be offered a second chance. The number of women in state prison has grown 75% and continue to rises.  These are women with little education; mothers and daughters. We need to help them learn how to become better mothers so that the cycle does not repeat itself but fades away. There are some programs that assist in these second chances they are…

#1. Employment Development Department

#2. Work source

#3. Urban League

#4. Jobs not Jails

#5. For new inmates upon release a good start would checking your local Temporary agencies. Employers can observe your job performance and if you perform well

You can become a permanent hire. 

The question I still ask; is there a such thing as a second chance? I believe it depends on that person and those who are in higher positions that can offer it. In the end it’s all up to that mother or that father who went down the line. The individuals and love ones I encounter are living proof that people can change for the better. To the mothers who are reading this article and been down that lonely road, understand that you're not alone.

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