Ex convicts are great entrepreneurs

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Why would a respected, well run administration give former convicts who have been convicted on things like drug charges over 2 million dollars to start a new business? It is not uncommon for something like this to happen. It was one newspaper article from the Chicago Tribune that highlighted a 50 former prisoners from the Chicagoland area who are hoping to start their own business. The announcement from The Aspire Entrepreneurship Initiative, an effort of the Small Business Administration and two charitable groups plans on starting this project in Chicago as well as a few other cities. The groups involved have started this in hopes that it will not only change these people’s lives but motivate other convicts to pursue career paths when they get out of prison. Projects that give loans to ex-convicts to start businesses will not only give hope to current prisoners but it may show how entrepreneurial and hard working former convicts are to other businesses increasing their future economic opportunities.

Giving ex convicts a second chance is something our country has struggled to do in the past but with opportunities like the one being offered from the SBA, it shows businesses still care about these people. In Chicago, there were “ 50 candidates will be picked for the program, with a goal of getting 30 to graduate from training and at least 25 to receive microloans.” The loans are just some seed money for the business but if the candidate has shown their passion to a certain level and the idea seems feasible, the loan could reach $50,000. With this kind of money and resources there is a good chance some of these businesses will be quite successful. The Chicago Tribune article also highlights that “Entrepreneurship can be a "ladder of opportunity" for citizens who have paid their debt to society but are still struggling to find employment after incarceration". A large number of these ex convicts have much more motivation than a regular person because they are dependent on their second chance. If they are able to get one job but can’t maintain it, the chances of them getting hired again are slim to none.

Business owners both small and large often overlook the ex convicts because they believe they would not be loyal employees. However, often times these are the employees who would show the most loyalty because they know they are most likely not going to get another chance. Most, if not at all businesses do background checks and it becomes harder and harder to get a job the longer you are unemployed. Getting a job soon after the person is released from prison is important for not only that person to support themselves but can help businesses. More specifically how can the hiring of ex convicts help society as a whole?