On March 17th, San Francisco Training Partnership (SFTP) Program Case Manager, Matt Snope, addressed the Leadership San Francisco conference on the importance of employment as both a recidivism reduction strategy and a way to reduce the city’s income inequality.
Through SFTP, Matt connects CJCJ clients to employment training services, such as counseling, vocational training, job search workshops, interviewing practice, and job placement. He also provides one-on-one support and practical assistance that enables clients to secure and maintain employment or pursue educational opportunities.
At Leadership San Francisco, Matt discussed how the stigma of a criminal record can hinder formerly incarcerated men and women from acquiring work. This is problematic, he says, because “if formerly incarcerated people are able to get a foothold in the economy, that really helps stop the cycle of incarceration.”
The stated goal of Leadership San Francisco is to explore ways to work for the common good, so Matt suggested that Bay Area employers move the consideration of a criminal record to the end of the hiring process. “Regardless of where people gained their skills, those assets can be valuable to employers. If you’re going to be instrumental in shaping the future of San Francisco, please give someone with a record a chance because that is the only way to change the stigma.”