Ideas

Lee Harris
County Mayor | Shelby County, TN

Work To Break the Cycle

Idea Category: Criminal Justice, Equity & Opportunity

2023 Ideas Challenge Entry

Shelby County, TN Mayor Lee Harris’s "Work to Break the Cycle" is a job website featuring updated Shelby County Government positions for individuals with arrest or conviction records. It complements the 2020 Ban the Box Ordinance, which removed questions about criminal history from job applications. This initiative has facilitated numerous opportunities for previously incarcerated individuals to join the county government workforce, with over 100 employment offers extended. By offering tailored jobs, Harris aims to reduce recidivism rates, as employment cuts reoffending chances by 20%. This dedicated job site enhances application confidence, promotes local economic engagement, and reduces incarceration expenses, aligning with the goal of reintegrating justice-impacted individuals into the community.

Impact:

Harris believes each hire is a marker of success. Since launching in May 2023, the program has resulted in employment offers to over 100 individuals so far, with plans to partner with the local Chamber of Commerce to provide more job opportunities. These jobs not only change their situation, but it has a ripple impact for their families and the Shelby County Community as a whole.

More Idea’s From Lee Harris

Work To Break the Cycle

Idea Category: Criminal Justice, Jobs and Entrepreneurship | Funding Source: ARP

Free Gun Locks By Mail

Idea Category: Public Safety | Funding Source: ARP

ARP: Shelby County TN, Grant to Bolster Healthcare Workforce

Idea Category: Healthcare, Jobs and Entrepreneurship | Funding Source: ARP

901 Student Passport – A Local Getaway for Students and Families

Idea Category: Education, Safety Net | Funding Source: ARP

Drug Overdose Treatment

Idea Category: Healthcare | Funding Source: ARP

Parole Hearings Expedited

Idea Category: Criminal Justice | Funding Source: ARP

Certificate of Employability Unlinking

Idea Category: Criminal Justice | Funding Source: ARP

Will Jawando | County Councilmember | Montgomery County, MD

Home Act/Rent Stabilization

2023 Ideas Challenge Entry Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando authored the Housing Opportunity, Mobility, and...