Job Fair to help People with Criminal Records find Jobs

The United States Attorney’s Office, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; SC Works; SC Vocational Rehabilitation; SC Department of Employment and Workforce; SC Department of Social Services; and the US Probation Office are continuing their statewide partnership to help individuals with prior criminal backgrounds secure employment. The Second Annual Greater Upstate Reentry Job Fair & Expo is being held Thursday, Feb. 15, from 10am to 1pm at McAlister Square, located at 225 South Pleasantburg Drive in Greenville. This fair, which is especially intended as a resource for Upstate residents, is part of a series of fairs, including Florence, the Midlands, and the Lowcountry, held annually. The partner organizations believe that a tailored expo for people with a criminal background will provide some focused help for the particular obstacles individuals face after returning home. “Studies have demonstrated the essential role a job plays in the success of individuals returning from prison. Our state partners have tremendous expertise in hosting resource fairs and it is our privilege to partner with them in developing job fairs specifically for individuals with a criminal background,” said U.S. Attorney Beth Drake. The fair and expo will include area employers friendly to hiring individuals with a criminal background and other organizations who participate with, and provide resources for, returning citizens. Professional dress is required. As always, the event will feature workshops on how to seek expungements and pardons of prior criminal convictions. “We are excited to connect South Carolinians to job opportunities. Where formerly incarcerated South Carolinians have stable jobs and lives, they are less likely to get in trouble with the law. Employment is crime prevention and a part of community health, vitality and safety,” said Drake.