South Carolina Cuts Recidivism to 18% With Reentry Programs and Employer Incentives
Updated
Updated · dew.sc.gov · May 13
South Carolina Cuts Recidivism to 18% With Reentry Programs and Employer Incentives
2 articles · Updated · dew.sc.gov · May 13
South Carolina's recidivism rate fell to 18% in 2019 from 31% in 2008, tying for the third-lowest rate nationally over the latest three-year post-release measure.
State officials credit a decade of coordination between the Department of Corrections, the Department of Employment and Workforce, employers and nonprofits, with job training and placement starting before release.
SC Works centers and in-prison services help returning citizens build resumes, practice interviews and take technical, occupational and soft-skills courses aimed at speeding reentry into the labor force.
Employers are offered a free $5,000 federal fidelity bond for hiring high-risk workers and can claim a tax credit of up to $2,400 for employing formerly incarcerated people.
The state is using Second Chance Awareness Month and its Spring into Employment campaign to widen employer participation, framing stable work as a key tool for keeping recidivism low.
With a key tax credit paused, what new incentives can sustain America's second-chance hiring success?
Is stable employment the ultimate key to reentry, or do guaranteed income programs offer a more effective path?