Solution: Design an app to help former inmates find employers willing to give formerly incarcerated persons a second chance. The app will also include an option connected with the local/state agency requirements.

Process:

1.Empathy 2. Define 3. Ideate 4. Prototype 5. Test

Background & Research:

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 6.9 million people are on probation, in jail, in prison, or on parole in the United States. In addition, more than 600,000 individuals are released each year from state and federal prisons. As a result, integration into society can be challenging for former inmates, especially in the workforce.

Secondary research has shown the employment of at least 100 previously incarcerated people alone will save millions of dollars annually; by keeping formerly imprisoned people out of the criminal justice system. In addition, consistent employment opportunities have shown low recidivism (return to prison) rate.

Define:

From the collection of research throughout the United States, I was able to draft three “How Might We Statements” to hone in on the gaps for users/unique population groups.  

• How might we create an app to connect employers willing to hire the given population?

• How might we provide clear information for job seekers with unusual work history due to incarceration?

• How might we integrate the liaison or connector circle for (probation officers/parole officers, employers, and job seekers)?

Ideation:

• Lo-fi Wireframing

• Prototyping

Job Seeker View:

Insights:

• Create a compensation transparency section (this will allow job seekers an insight into equitable pay)

• Build out the employer side of the app

• Build out the liaison side of the app (currently working on 3 specific states).

Liaison View :

In my continual research phase, I found a legislative movement that gives citizens a second chance by sealing or expungement records. This legislative movement would include a feature in the Success Hub; by helping to remove a barrier to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals. Our goal is to build out the liaison app sections and information for states/counties linkage programs for expungement and sealing records. Thus far, three states have been identified as leading this effort. 

In Franklin County, Ohio (Justice Policy and Programs), this department works to provide a holistic restoration process for individuals. An update to Ohio's Expungement code/law allows formerly incarcerated individuals to apply for legal expungement meeting specific requirements. This update to Ohio Revised Code 2953.37  is a step to help remove barriers to re-entry or continual success in the workforce.