June 2020 Summaries

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought two crises together in American prisons - the epidemic of mass incarceration and the spread of the virus itself. As a result, government officials have begun releasing inmates with minor offenses to alleviate cramped conditions, leading to a new challenge: what happens when they look for work in the crippled economy? Organizations can make a difference by implementing fair chance measures that lower recidivism rates, providing quality job training and access to social networks, embracing fair chance hiring, and taking responsibility as businesses to give back to their communities. By making small adjustments to existing programs and advocating for change, organizations can help those who are getting left behind until large-scale structural changes become mainstream.

We stand in solidarity with the Black community and in support of those seeking justice for the devastating murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and too many more who’ve lost their lives to violence and hate. The recent tragedies have highlighted the need to address systemic racial discrimination and bias in the criminal justice system. Checkr has focused on improving fairness through education and data-driven approaches, aiming to reduce recidivism and increase access to employment for individuals with criminal records. To achieve this goal of opening opportunities for 1 million people, companies must adopt fairer hiring practices, including breaking down stigmas associated with hiring people with criminal records, and take steps such as educating their teams and implementing adjudication tools. The company encourages collaboration and education to drive real change and create a fairer future.