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FEDERALhearing transcript

Hearing on Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

Original title: PRISON TO PROPRIETORSHIP: ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED

January 1, 2020

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing examines potential federal policy changes to support small business ownership for formerly incarcerated people, a group that faces significant barriers to traditional employment and high rates of .

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Formerly incarcerated individuals

They are the primary focus of potential entrepreneurship training and reentry support programs discussed by the committee.

Small Business Administration (SBA)

The committee is evaluating the effectiveness of current SBA programs in supporting entrepreneurship for returning citizens.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Small Business held a hearing to explore how entrepreneurship training and support can help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reenter the workforce. The discussion focused on reducing rates and addressing the economic barriers faced by .

Key Facts

  • The U.S. holds 25% of the world's prison population despite having only 5% of the world's total population.
  • There are approximately 7,000 correctional facilities in the U.S., including 109 federal prisons and 3,163 local jails.
  • The average annual cost to incarcerate one federal inmate in fiscal year 2017 was $36,299.
  • Nearly 50% of federal inmates are serving time for non-violent drug offenses.
  • In 2018, more than 37,000 individuals were released from federal prisons.
  • Approximately 97% of the 180,000 federal inmates will eventually be released.
  • Nearly 50% of released individuals are rearrested within 8 years of their release.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this hearing?
The committee met to discuss how entrepreneurship training can help formerly incarcerated individuals start businesses and successfully reintegrate into society.
Why is the committee focusing on entrepreneurship for this group?
often face significant barriers to traditional employment, and entrepreneurship is being explored as a way to reduce high rates.

Why It Matters

This hearing examines potential federal policy changes to support small business ownership for formerly incarcerated people, a group that faces significant barriers to traditional employment and high rates of .

News Coverage

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Sponsors

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Entrepreneurship as Reentry Tool

The committee is explicitly shifting focus toward small business ownership as a primary mechanism for reducing recidivism, moving beyond traditional job placement programs.

Connected Entities

personJerry BlassingameFounder and CEO, Soteria CDCMap →
personNydia VelazquezChairwoman of the House Committee on Small BusinessMap →
personSteve ChabotRanking Member of the House Committee on Small BusinessMap →
personShon HopwoodAssociate Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law CenterMap →
personCorinne Ann HodgesCEO, Association of Women's Business CentersMap →
personGary WozniakPresident and CEO, RecoveryParkMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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