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fresh start

New Video Highlights Work’s Ability to Transform the Lives of Those Leaving Prison

Naples, FL – A new video released today by the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) highlights the power of work to give those coming home from prison a fresh start.

Over 600,000 individuals leave the justice system every year, but more than 60 percent of them remain unemployed one year after they reintegrate into society. Research shows that work is an important indicator of how likely someone is to re-offend and is critical to preventing dependency after release from incarceration.

The video highlights the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), a Texas-based non-profit dedicated to using entrepreneurship to help ex-offenders find jobs and be successful in society. Jeff Offutt, a PEP enrollee, was unsure of what kind of work he would find when he left prison. But using the skills he gained from PEP, Jeff started his own printing business a year his release. The company is now making over $1.2 million in yearly sales.

PEP is just one example of how work empowers individuals to avoid recidivism and government dependency by finding independence. FGA’s Fresh Start reform breaks down barriers to work for those leaving prison and can help save taxpayers millions of dollars each year—giving millions of people a new opportunity to find work while also protecting public safety.

“Jeff’s story is one that millions are facing each year as governments are creating more and more barriers to work for those leaving prison,” said Jared Meyer, senior fellow at the FGA. “Work empowers those leaving prison to turn a new page and start fresh by securing their independence and providing for their families.”

To watch the full video, click here.

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The Foundation for Government Accountability is a non–profit, multi–state think tank that specializes in health care, welfare, and work reform. To learn more, visit TheFGA.org.

At FGA, we don’t just talk about changing policy—we make it happen.

By partnering with FGA through a gift, you can create more policy change that returns America to a country where entrepreneurship thrives, personal responsibility is rewarded, and paychecks replace welfare checks.