The Ladies of Hope Ministries: Join influential community leaders and Fair Chance Hiring advocates as we address employer barriers impacting women with a criminal background and explore avenues where key stakeholders can join forces to prepare returning citizens for viable employment opportunities.

Empower Missouri: One in three Americans is burdened by some form of an old criminal record. Last week marked the start of Second Chance Month, during which we recognize the critical need to address the barriers that continue to face these 70 million people – sometimes, long after they are released. 

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The bills that pass through our state’s legislature will have a huge impact on Missourians across the state — and on my business.

KMOV: KMOV’s First Alert 4 profiled Jackie Huebbe, a member of RBIJ’s Workforce & Justice Alliance, as she highlighted why business leaders are pushing for Clean Slate in Missouri.

CECP: RBIJ’s Director of Inclusive Hiring Caz Walcott spoke on a webinar, hosted by Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, about how businesses can tap into new and diverse talent pools.

Boston Globe: Massachusetts is lagging and should join other states that have enacted “clean slate” automated record-sealing laws.

Baltimore Post-Examiner: In Maryland, nearly one million adults have a criminal record. That’s approximately 2 out of every 10 adults in the state, according to The Clean Slate Initiative.

The Clean Slate Initiative: Joining the 13 original states is one thing, but becoming the 13th Clean Slate state would be a different kind of revolution for Maryland.

The Examiner: Tom Lesnak, president and CEO of the Independence Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the Chamber’s ongoing support for Clean Slate in Missouri.

The Journal Times: Sarah Best, CEO of Sarah Best Strategies, explained why she supports ending juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) sentencing and why businesses should get involved.

PennLive: Pennsylvania’s labor shortage impacts businesses both large and small. This is due in part to employers not considering hundreds of thousands of qualified candidates simply because they have a criminal record.

GreenBiz: There are millions of unfilled positions open across the United States. By overlooking individuals with criminal records, businesses are ignoring a big pool of potential candidates.

Better Than We Found It: Join us for an insightful conversation with Lena Patel, Deputy CEO of the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ). In this episode, we uncover Lena's remarkable career journey. 

D Magazine: Business opportunity and ethical concerns are lining up to change hiring practices and policies to give those with criminal records a second chance.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Coalition of conservatives, progressives, business leaders and activists propose removing barriers to employment for Georgians with criminal records to help solve labor squeeze.

The Times: If you had done your time for a crime, should you still be punished for it many years later?

Penn Capital-Star: Expanded record clearance will help facilitate employment, putting more money in the pockets of consumers and communities.

Triple Pundit: Many business leaders say they face barriers that make it more difficult to hire people with certain or any criminal justice involvement. The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice published research that explores these challenges further and sets out a roadmap for employers to further embrace second chance hiring. 

Fox 43: Pennsylvania could soon give people who served time for non-violent felony crimes a second chance. A new bi-partisan bill would wipe some criminal records clean.

Triple Pundit: Second chance hiring is based on the simple principle that a person's past does not define them, and those who have served their time should have a fair shot at employment and a place in their communities. Here are some other companies that are leading the way on the practice as it begins to take hold across the private sector.