The United States Department of Labor announced today $20.6 million in grants that will be issued to organizations that provide released prisoners with services and support that help them find jobs.
The plan is to offer 17 grants for around $1.21 million each to nonprofit organizations that are located in areas with high proverty and crime. The organizations must provide job training and help ex-cons with interview preparation. They will also assist with support services like substance abuse programs or mental health treatment.
It’s noble and great to help ex-cons try to get jobs and get their lives back in order, but does it really make sense for the federal government to be providing this service? Aren’t there lots of private organizations that do a great job assisting in this area already? In this incredibly difficult economic environment where the US government is $15 trillion in debt, it doesn’t seem to make sense to be spending $20.6 million trying to help released prisoners get jobs.
