Summerville, South Carolina- The United States Attorney’s Office, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; SC Works; SC Vocational Rehabilitation; 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 First Annual South Coast Reentry Job Fair & Expo is being held Tuesday, May 9, 2017, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Dorchester County Adult Ed Center, located at 1325 A Boonehill Road, Summerville, SC 29483.
This fair, which targets the Lowcountry, is part of a series of fairs, including Florence, the Upstate, and the Midlands, anticipated annually. The partner organizations hope that a tailored expo for people with a criminal background will provide some focused help for the particular obstacles individuals face after returning home.
“A critical component in the transition from prison to a law-abiding life is a job. We in the U.S. Attorney’s Office recognize that our state partners - S.C. Works, S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation, SC Department of Social Services, and S.C. Probation, Pardon and Parole - do terrific work in preparing our fellow South Carolinians for the work force and in aligning our workers with jobs to which they are suited. It is our privilege to learn from the many years’ experience of those in these State agencies as we develop events specifically for individuals with a criminal background," said U.S. Attorney Beth Drake. “We are excited to connect citizens not simply to employment opportunities but to other critical resources like GED programs that facilitate the transition from prison to employment and a law-abiding life."
The fair and expo will include area employers and other organizations who participate with, and provide resources for, returning citizens. Any interested employers or vendors should inquire with Diana Goldwire at (864) 315-9751 or dgoldwire@dew.sc.gov. In their hiring initiatives and practice, John Hopkins Hospital has demonstrated that returning citizens are some of the most loyal and productive talent pools available to an employer.
“Ensuring that formerly incarcerated individuals have stable jobs and lives, and thereby making them less likely to reoffend, is as important to crime prevention and community safety as our efforts in prosecution," said Ms. Drake.
Professional dress is required. Discounted SLED criminal background checks will be provided on site. And, the event will also feature workshops on how to seek expungements and pardons of prior criminal convictions. Some transportation arrangements may be available. Please inquire with Marcos Barahona of the US Probation Office at marcos_barahona@scp.uscourts.gov or George Whitehead at (803) 734-9143, (803) 667-1258 or george.whitehead@ppp.sc.gov. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
