By Paul Toomey, CEO, Geographic Solutions
Each year, roughly 600,000 individuals are released from prison across the United States, with nearly 93% seeking quality employment[1]. Despite these intentions, individuals often struggle to find work after prison due to several factors: a lack of education, non-existent or inadequate job skills, and the stigma of having a criminal record, which often leads to higher rates of recidivism.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics[2], nearly 448,400 justice-impacted people were released from state and federal correctional facilities in 2022. However, research indicates that roughly 82% of these individuals[3] are likely to be rearrested within 10 years of their release.
Addressing recidivism effectively requires tackling several key barriers such as lack of education or life skills, unemployment, substance abuse, and mental health issues. While traditional reentry programs can help improve their success rates, their implementation is often hampered due to limited staffing, funding, and resources in many organisations and government agencies.
Innovative workforce solutions for justice-impacted individuals
To address this issue, software developer Geographic Solutions developed the Virtual OneStop Reentry Employment Opportunities (VOS REO®)[4] to not only break this cycle of recidivism, but also provide soon-to-be-released individuals with the online tools and resources needed to connect with employers, find high-paying employment opportunities, and ultimately reenter society with a plan to stay out.
While the correlation between pre-release employment and reentry success has not been tested nationwide, the introduction of VOS REO enables state correctional departments to explore this concept on a deeper level. This approach shifts the focus from solely investing in job training to also providing justice-impacted individuals with modern job search tools and resources – emphasising the importance of pre-release job exploration and skill development.
In 2024, this system became the foundation of a multi-organisation partnership between Geographic Solutions, the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA)[5], and the California Employment Development Department[6] to create the Entry to Employment (E2E) Network[7].
Navigating technological and security challenges
Throughout the development process of the E2E Network, Geographic Solutions was faced with two primary challenges: first, how to securely bring modern online job search tools to justice-impacted individuals, and second, how to assist them in overcoming social stigmas and employment barriers.
Geographic Solutions’ web-based software solutions are usually designed for public-facing state and local government agencies. With the E2E Network operating within prisons, Geographic Solutions had to adapt its workforce development software suite, VOS Sapphire, to meet the strict security requirements of CALPIA and any correctional facility across America.
To meet these requirements, Geographic Solutions designed the E2E Network’s infrastructure to operate off a secure desktop connection. The company also configured the platform to allow justice-impacted individuals to use the state’s workforce system, while also restricting internet, direct messaging, and public email access.
All searches made by inmates are monitored by authorized staff facilitators, who can control search results, exclude key phrases or words, and block visibility to certain employers. To address security concerns with certain documents, such as résumés and cover letters, all communications – whether between the individual, staff member, or employer – are handled internally, under correctional staff supervision.
Another challenge the Geographic Solutions’ team faced was helping justice-involved individuals overcome social stigmas around incarceration. To help break this stigma and further increase employment outcomes, Geographic Solutions worked with CALPIA and state officials to build a database of trusted employers who want to provide individuals with a second chance.
Making an impact with second chance opportunities
Unlike other reentry platforms, this second-chance employer list is directly connected to CalJOBS, the state of California’s labour exchange system[8]. This enables users to securely search for occupations that align with their interests, skills, and values even after their release.
The platform also analyses their work experience and training they completed during incarceration to provide more accurate job matches. Labour market data helps individuals consider income potential and growth, helping to determine if their desired profession will meet their earning needs. For employers, the E2E Network opens access to a new talent pipeline that is trained yet often overlooked. The platform not only benefits employers and state officials but also the broader community.
The positive impact that the E2E Network can have on an inmate’s life was demonstrated when several incarcerated individuals tested the platform launched on 12 June 2024. These tests were highly successful and ultimately helped these individuals secure gainful employment. One example is Douglas Woodall, the first participant who was hired using the E2E network while incarcerated at California State Prison, Solano. Woodall was hired by a leading manufacturing company in mid-April.
“The E2E system helped me land a job,” said Woodall. “I was able to build a professional résumé (CV) and get an early start applying for jobs in prison which was beneficial in the job hunt.”
To date, the E2E Network has been implemented in 12 state prison facilities, enabling nearly 242 registered inmates to search for quality employment before their release. In the coming months, CALPIA and its partners plan to deploy the E2E Network throughout the entire state of California which maintains over 30 prisons.
With the addition of the E2E Network, VOS REO has been deployed in 22 prisons across California, Virginia, and Connecticut. In 2025, Geographic Solutions will continue to expand its footprint across the nation and globally.
The E2E Network represents a step forward in addressing one of the most challenging aspects of the corrections sector: successful reintegration into society. This platform offers more than modern job search tools, it provides tangible pathways from prison back into society and ultimately into the workplace. This collaborative initiative demonstrates that with the right tools, support, and opportunities, justice-involved individuals can rebuild their lives, contribute meaningfully to their community, and break the cycle of recidivism.
Click here to learn more[9] about how the E2E Network is creating second chances for justice-impacted job seekers.
References
[1] https://www.uschamber.com/workforce/data-deep-dive-the-workforce-impact-of-second-chance-hiring-3
[2] https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/prisoners-2022-statistical-tables
[3] https://bjs.ojp.gov/BJS_PUB/rpr24s0810yfup0818/Web%20content/508%20compliant%20PDFs
[4] https://www.geographicsolutions.com/VOSREO
[5] https://www.calpia.ca.gov/
[6] https://edd.ca.gov/
[7] https://go.geographicsolutions.com/casestudies-calpia
[8] https://edd.ca.gov/en/Jobs_and_Training/Caljobs
[9] https://go.geographicsolutions.com/casestudies-calpia
