with input from staff at the John Howard Society of
Nova Scotia
Last month, I travelled out
east to do some work with the John Howard Society of Nova Scotia. The purpose of this trip was to participate in a
public learning event on pardons and record suspensions, similar to a forum
that I helped organized with CPEP back in 2013. Despite the fact that winter
was still looming over the Maritimes, everyone I met had a spring in their step
and people were eager to understand how to better support individuals with
criminal records in their communities.
The John Howard Society [JHS] has provided supports to criminalized
individuals and their families for many years. Across Canada new resources have
emerged in response to changes in penal policies, including services to help
people who want to receive pardons or record suspensions. The John Howard
Society of Nova Scotia [JHSNS] recognized a need in this area after the policy changes in 2010 and 2012, and now offer a Record Suspension Application
Service to people in the area they serve.
Another major support that
is offered by most JHS offices is employment preparedness. These programs often
involve resume writing workshops, interview preparation, and help with job
searching. Both frontline workers and managers at JHSNS have noticed an
increasing struggle amongst criminalized persons when it comes to finding and
securing a job in the community, despite being properly trained, well prepared,
and eager to work. Some of the
challenges those they work with face and what they achieved during the public learning
event are described below.
Through these [employment] initiatives we have
observed many of our clients struggling to find gainful employment because they
have a criminal record… As a result, we see many men and women trapped in
income assistance programs or in low-wage, insecure and irregular employment
because their criminal record effectively renders them ineligible for jobs that
they would otherwise be qualified for.
For some, getting a record suspension would be a
solution to their problem. However, even those who meet the eligibility
criteria, and pose very strong candidates, are often unable to afford the
expenses attached to applying for a record suspension. On a regular basis we
encounter the following situation: Without gainful employment, individuals
can’t afford a record suspension. At the same time, without getting a record
suspension individuals cannot obtain gainful employment.
This problem, paired with the complicated process
of preparing a record suspension application, inspired JHSNS to host a public
learning event on record suspension policies and application procedures. Through
the event, we wanted to improve understanding of the issue and the application
process among community agencies, employers, and the public. Further, we wanted
to start a local conversation about it. Given the turnout at the event, and the
great discussion during the Q&A period, we feel that we accomplished both
of those goals – although our work certainly isn’t over yet!
To echo the comments
provided by staff at JHSNS, the public learning event held at the shiny new Halifax
Central Library was very
successful. Not only was I able to educate community members and frontline
workers on the intricacies of the record suspension application process, but
they educated me on the obstacles faced by their clients. One woman reminded me
to think of victims, and specifically victims who are owed restitution. If criminalized
persons are unable to find employment, then restitution will go unpaid and
reparation for harm caused will never be achieved. Another attendee spoke to
individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, and their struggles to communicate
with the Parole Board about their record suspension applications. Finally, I
got to hear stories from people who have been successful in obtaining their
record suspensions, and who can now move forward with their employment and
education goals.
As I continue my work around
issues of re-entry I hope to engage in more public learning events like the one
in Halifax and look forward to building relationships with individuals and
community organizations that are focused on justice that stems from compassion,
understanding, and forgiveness, rather than fear, anger, and exclusion.
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