Better Job Programs For Felons...

When I first moved to Pennsylvania I put in over fifty job applications. Nobody ever called me back or hired me. It was really a blessing in disguise because thats when I decided to go back to school. The problem is that not every felon has the chance to live with their mother and go to school full time. No wonder the recividism rate is so high. A man gets out of prison and can't even start a productive life if he wanted to. Now I understand that many of these men do not want to change but there are many of us who do.
I grew up in Baltimore City and most of my friends and I are "products of our environment." Most of us aren't really bad people unless we get pinned in a corner. The majority of my friends are locked up, strung out, or breaking the law in some way just to get by every day. We put in job applications and they just get thrown in the trash and we can't lie on the application because it is so easy to do backround checks these days. When I first moved here temp agencies wouldn't even hire me.
When a man gets released from prison, most of the time he is on parole or probation. He has to see his P.O. and they tell you to get a job and pay these fees every month or you will be violated and probably sent back to jail or prison. Why aren't there job programs for us that can help us lead productive lives. Most of us haven't had a lot of job experience and sure could use a chance to prove that we can work and learn how to live a new life. The problem is that we get discouraged when we can't find a job so we decide to go back to what we know best because that is the only life we really know.
Well I hope that I opened some eyes and maybe one day we can start tearing down prisons and start putting our tax money into job programs...