Economic Mobility | Reentry

Reentry 2030 States Explore Day 1 Employment Readiness After Incarceration

September 25, 2025

For many people reentering the community after jail or prison, the path to a sustainable job is blocked by immediate, practical hurdles—even when they have in-demand skills and training.

To address these “day-one” challenges for formerly incarcerated people, the Reentry 2030 Workforce Development Peer Learning Cohort brought together leaders from 8 states on August 26. The session focused on crucial gaps, such as the lack of state identification, transportation, and the technology needed to secure employment during reentry.

Participants and expert guests shared powerful, state-led innovations to overcome these barriers, from providing pre-release access to vital records to distributing “reentry kits” and smartphones. The cohort is supported by funding from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance.

For more on the session, the national Reentry 2030 initiative, and how your state can join, visit Reentry2030.org.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joshua Gaines

Deputy Program Director, Corrections and Reentry

Josh Gaines focuses on issues involving the collateral consequences of criminal conviction, barriers to work, and relief from the long-term impacts of a criminal record. In addition to providing direct technical assistance to state leaders and other stakeholders working to

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safely expand opportunities for workers with criminal histories, he also oversees the CSG Justice Center's Fair Chance Occupational Licensing Project and the National Reentry Resource Center's Clean Slate Clearinghouse and National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction. Josh received his BA from North Carolina State University and his JD from the Washington College of Law at American University.

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