Trone bill would give ‘second chance’ in workforce to those who served their time
Credit: DC News Now
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC News Now) — When it comes to job opportunities, housing or even applying to school or job training programs, a criminal background check can be a deal breaker.
But efforts on Capitol Hill hope to seal arrest records for those who have served their time. Maryland Sixth District Democratic Congressman David Trone has a bill in the U.S. House to seal or expunge records for low-level, non-violent drug offenses after a sentence has been served.
The head of a nonprofit working to mainstream released inmates says the measure can be a lifeline for those released from prison or rehabilitation centers.
“We appreciate any kind of legislation that brings focus onto workforce development and people getting out of prison and our recovery programs,” Gaertner said.
Trone says the high rate of recidivism in the U.S. can, in part, be the result of released convicts not getting a chance in the workforce after their release.
