Assisting Individuals With FelonyBackground

Behrooz Jahanshahibjaha@okcareertech.org

Oklahoma Department of Career & Technology Education

Skills Centers School SystemAugust 2, 2013

Oklahoma’sCareerTech System

ComprehensiveSchools

TechnologyCenters

Businessand Industry

Skills Centers

Full-time ProgramsAdult Skills CentersJuvenile Skills CentersInstructorsEmployment/Transition Coordinators

FY 2012 Skills Centers

Students served, full-time 1,055

Students served, short-term 159

Completed, full-time 545

Positive placement 88.57%

Average hourly wage $11.15

33113

363

Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 2012 Annual Report, Page 17

Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections, 2012 Annual Report, Page 21

Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Facts At A Glance, May 31, 2013

Defining Reentry

It is important to remember that reentry is a process of identifying treatment and training programs, according to individualized needs, to provide the offender with knowledge and skills necessary to rejoin the community successfully.

Understanding Offender Culture, Values, Attitudes:

Prisonization Process (adjusting to a confined, structured environment)

Dependency “Inmate Attitude” Prison Slang Sense of entitlement “Inmate body language”

What Ex-offenders Must Take Care of:

Probation & Parole Requirements Court Cost and Restitution Child Support

Resources

ID, Birth Certificate Vital Records: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov/ Department of Public Safety: http://www.dps.state.ok.us/

Veterans: Representatives at Workforce Oklahoma offices, and: http://www.oklahoma.va.gov/

Native Americans: Representatives at Workforce Oklahoma Offices and: Oklahoma County only: http://www.uuic.org/ Oklahoma Native American Resource Guide at DHS: http://www.okdhs.org/NR/rdonlyres/65DCFEDA-6E77-4E12-BC1E-62AEEA05EF4B/0/S11049_OKNativeAmerResource_fod_06012011.pdf

Medical Needs: Low cost or free dental assistance, ww.ddokfoundation.org Low cost or free medical,  http://www.needymeds.org/free_clinics.taf

Resources (Continued)

Food: http://www.foodpantries.org/st/oklahoma

Housing: Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency: http://www.ohfa.org/

Clothes: Oklahoma City, Suited for Success: http://www.suitedforsuccessokc.com/ Tulsa: Dress for Success: http://dressforsuccess.org

Child Support: DHS http://www.okdhs.org/programsandservices/ocss/

Mental Health, Substance Abuse: http://ok.gov/odmhsas/

Multiple Services, Multiple Locations

Oklahoma Workforce Portal: http://www.ok.gov/okworks/

Oklahoma Community Action Agencies: http://okacaa.org

Oklahoma 211: http://www.211oklahoma.org/

Need Help Paying Bills: http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/

Hand Up Ministries: http://www.huminc.org/

Ex-offender Resources: http://www.ex-offenderresource.com/

Community Service Council of Tulsa: http://csctulsa.org

Catholic Charities: Oklahoma City: http://www.catholiccharitiesok.org/ Tulsa: http://catholiccharitiestulsa.org/

Networking

Association of Reentry Professionals: http://associationofreentryprofessionals.org/

Partnership for Successful Reentry: http://okreentry.org/

REACH, hosted by Upward Transition: http://www.upwardtransitions.org/

Let’s Talk: Locates Community Resources

Community Services Council of Tulsa (Quarterly PRI Meeting)

Being better prepared and organized Importance of completing

applications First impressions and body language Following up after the interview

Preparing for Employment

You Must be Prepared and Organized

Have copies of all documents:ResumeCover LetterReferencesPortfolioLicensuresCompleted Sample Application

Online applications Require creation of a user name and

password Sufficient time is required to complete

it accurately Some online applications are timed and

will time out if left idle too long Facebook and Twitter posts warning: Be

careful what you post

A Few Tough Interview Questions

Tell me about yourself? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? We have many applicants, why hire

you? Why do you want to work for us? Why did you leave your last job?

At the End of the Interview

The employer will ask you:

“Do you have any questions?”

MUST have at least 1-2 questions ready to ask!

Asking Employer Questions

What is a typical day like?May I take a tour of the facility?Is there a possibility for overtime?

NEVER bring up money….Pay, holidays, vacations, etc. until

those subjects are raised by the employer

Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

Was there a…. Merger, bought out, sold or

downsized? New management, new staff? Owner retired, sold assets, closed

business? Family business, reorganized

Oklahoma Department of Corrections: Facts At A Glancehttp://ok.gov/doc/Newsroom/Facts_At_A_Glance/index.html

Oklahoma Department of Corrections: Annual Reportshttp://www.ok.gov/doc/Newsroom/Annual_Reports/

Oklahoma Department of Libraries: Literacy Fact Sheet: Correctional Educationhttp://www.odl.state.ok.us/literacy/statistics/corrections.htm

Office of Justice Programs: Bureau of Justice Statisticshttp://bjs.gov/

The national Reentry Resource Center: A Project of the Council of State Governmentshttp://nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/libraryhttp://www.nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/facts

Major State and National Data Resources

Oklahoma Department of Corrections: Reentry Resource Guidehttp://www.doc.state.ok.us/newsroom/publications/Reentry_Resource_Guide.pdf

Oklahoma Workforce Portal: Including E-lessons, okjobmatch.com, Grow Oklahoma: okcareerplanner.com, and much more.http://www.ok.gov/okworks/

Indeed Job Search Enginehttp://www.indeed.com/

Career Builderhttp://www.careerbuilder.com/

Monsterhttp://www.monster.com/

Craig’s Listhttp://www.craigslist.com/

Employment and Other Services Sites