Press Releases

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a funding opportunity that would enable incarcerated individuals to access the services and supports they need to secure jobs upon their release. Under the department’s Linking to Employment Activities Pre-Release (LEAP) initiative, local workforce development boards may apply for one of ten $500,000 grants to place these vital services in correctional facilities.

“These grants will have a positive impact on incarcerated individuals, especially the young men of color who face considerable barriers to employment once released from prison. I applaud the administration’s continued investments to ensure more Americans have a second chance to succeed,” said Congresswoman Wilson, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

According to research, incarcerated individuals are 15 to 30 percent less likely to be hired. These individual often have limited work experience, skills, and education, or have lost access to the social supports that are critical to securing employment.

The LEAP initiative’s emphasis on increased opportunities for incarcerated individuals is in line with President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, which focuses on education and employment milestones that ensure young men of color can excel or are given a second chance to succeed.

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson is a third-term Congresswoman from Florida representing parts of Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward counties. A former state legislator and school principal, she is the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school. Congresswoman Wilson also founded the Florida Ports Caucus, a bipartisan taskforce that coordinates federal action in support of Florida’s harbors and waterways.