Bridge Michigan: Tight labor market helps Michigan’s ex-prisoners find jobs

Ronnie Waters spent over four decades behind bars after being sentenced to life without parole at age 17 for murder. Waters said that when he was released in August 2020, it was like entering a new world, including learning how to use a cell phone. Still, within a month of his release, Waters was earning a paycheck canvassing for Michigan Liberation, a statewide criminal justice reform network.

The 30-day turnaround from a life sentence to a steady job would have been unlikely a decade ago. But thanks to a pandemic-induced tight labor market, Michiganders returning to their communities from prison are finding it easier to get back into the workforce.

For more: https://www.bridgemi.com/business-watch/tight-labor-market-helps-michigans-ex-prisoners-find-jobs