Advocates aim to expand law to help formerly incarcerated people get employed - WAFB
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A group of supporters in East Baton Rouge are aiming to expand a law that will give ex-offenders better job opportunities.
“I served 26 years, 2 weeks, and 5 days,” said Ivy Yancey.
Yancey got a life sentence when she was 17. She was eventually released in 2018 after the Montgomery v. Louisiana Supreme Court ruling. The decision deemed it was unconstitutional for any juvenile younger than 18 to receive a life sentence.
“I wanted to be in a position that whenever that day would come, if that day would come, I wanted to be ready,” said Yancey.
Her experience is why she and dozens of supporters called on East Baton Rouge leaders and the Metro Council to consider expanding a law that will help ex-offenders land a job once they get out of prison.
On Tuesday, March 29, the groups Step Up Louisiana, Power Coalition, VOTE, and a handful of others pushed for the expansion of The Fair Chance Act.
The Fair Chance Act was passed in 2021, and it prevents employers from performing a criminal background check before making an offer. However, advocates say it only covers certain jobs. They want the law to cover city contracting jobs, which are better paying and better opportunities to sustain a stable living.
”You have to make sure people are seen and given the opportunity,” said Checo Yancey.
Checo Yancey is an ex-offender and an advocate for criminal rights. He explained why it’s important to give people a second chance.
”How can you stand up on a Sunday in church and lift up holy hand, but you don’t want to give out a helping hand to a person that made a mistake,” said Yancey.
They explained how preventing people the chance to make a decent living could possibly set them up failure, which in turn could cause a cycle of poverty or land them back in prison.
”When I was released, I didn’t come out here looking for people to give me anything. I wanted to work and earn my way, and if you want people to walk and live in that, let them earn their way. You don’t give them nothing coming out of prison, but just give them a better opportunity and fair chance and let them earn their way. That’s all that we’re asking,” said Yancey.
Supporters hope the council will make the expansion before the year is over.
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source: https://www.wafb.com/2022/03/30/advocates-aim-expand-law-help-formerly-incarcerated-people-get-employed/
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