Mass incarceration has become an increasingly concerning problem statewide, as Florida houses over 150,000 individuals in local jails and state and federal prisons.[1] Approximately 30,000 individuals are released from prison each year in Florida. and, despite many of their diligent efforts to become law-abiding citizens, they often experience discrimination and lack crucial educational opportunities, career resources, and support from local communities.[2] This reality is not limited to Florida, as the United States contains the world’s largest justice-impacted population.[3]

Many justice-impacted individuals cannot secure meaningful employment because their backgrounds (even decades old) often deter employers from hiring them.[4] Research suggests that employers are 50% less likely to hire justice-impacted people as opposed to other job applicants without a record.[5] This deficit in employment is exacerbated by lack of access to higher education beyond a high school diploma or GED, which further limits potential economic opportunities.[6]

The unemployment rate among formerly incarcerated individuals is five times higher than the general population, which demonstrates how significantly a criminal conviction can impact someone’s life.[7] Employment is critical for reasons such as financial stability, secure housing, and other necessities. It also serves higher philosophical and psychological purposes related to self-actualization and fulfillment.[8]

Thus, many justice-impacted individuals are not offered a true second chance, which leads to many of them being rearrested for a new crime within five years of being released.[9] Research shows that stable employment reduces a released individual’s likelihood of re-offending and recidivism.[10] Surprisingly, studies also show that applicants with conviction histories have lower turnover rates than those without a criminal record.[11]

As such, entrepreneurship opportunities offer an alternative path for justice-impacted people when their records prevent them from obtaining traditional employment opportunities.[12] These individuals can positively support their community and finally take control of their financial future by pursuing small business opportunities.[13] Unlike many employers, customers generally care more about the product or service they receive – not the person’s past mistakes or misunderstandings.[14]

Traditional employment lowers recidivism rates by 55, while entrepreneurship lowers recidivism rates by 64%.[15] Although there are many benefits to entrepreneurship, including increased wages, minimal formal education requirements, and flexibility, there are also numerous challenges facing justice-impacted individuals on this path.[16]

To start, a criminal record often prevents people from obtaining financing to start a business.[17] The Small Business Administration (SBA) imposes strict limitations on loans and other assistance to those with criminal records.[18] Even when incarcerated people learn skills or further their education, there are license restrictions that also can invalidate their training.[19] For example, several states prohibit justice-impacted individuals from practicing law despite them having learned essential legal skills.[20] Moreover, probation and parole requirements may limit one’s ability to start a business due to travel, licensing, and other restrictions.[21] In short, the ongoing stigma of holding a criminal record can prevent people from successful economic opportunities.[22]

In addition to financial and other common barriers, incarcerated people often lack access to educational services to prepare them for the current job market.[23] If we truly want people to successfully re-enter society and help the economy, we must offer pre-release educational and entrepreneurship programs.[24] There are several entrepreneurial training programs that help justice-impacted people achieve employment to reduce recidivism rates and thus reduce the cost of reincarceration.[25] For example, in Maine, remote work in prison is increasingly gaining support through a program founded by the

In July 2025, U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Cory Booker introduced the New Start Act to Congress, which would allow the SBA to award grants to organizations to train current and former inmates entrepreneurship skills.[28] This type of legislation can offer real change to justice-impacted individuals and help them live more stable and fulfilling lives. It can also fill a large economic gap nationwide. It is estimated that $80 billion is spent on incarceration nationwide, and reports by the Center for Economic and Policy Research indicate that nearly $87 billion is lost from annual gross domestic product (GDP) due to the exclusion of people in the justice system from the workforce.[29] Therefore, expanding opportunities for justice-involved individuals to allow them to re-enter the workforce would not only reduce incarceration costs but also strengthen the national economy by recovering billions in lost productivity and economic growth.

As followers of Christ, we believe every person is entitled to human dignity and offenders must be held accountable, but we should also encourage them to change their lives.[30] Prison and jail programs offer offenders critical life skills and education, which benefits society and allows them to successfully reintegrate into society.[31] Justice-impacted individuals must be welcomed back into society to truly see change in our communities and economy.[32] Although entrepreneurship offers justice-impacted individuals an alternate path to success, the battle goes beyond individual resilience and requires confronting systemic barriers and legislation that excludes people with criminal records from the workforce. To truly help our businesses, economy, and community, we must make continuous efforts to challenge and dismantle discrimination and employment barriers that affect millions of Americans.[33]

1 Florida Profile, PRISON POL’Y INITIATIVE, https://www.prisonpolicy.org/profiles/FL.html#visuals (last visited Mar. 4, 2026).

[2] About Us, PROJECT 180, https://www.project180reentry.org/about-us/ (last visited Mar. 4, 2026).

[3] From Prison to Entrepreneurship: Can Entrepreneurship Be a Reentry Strategy For Justice-Impacted Individuals?, INMATES TO ENTREPRENEURS, https://inmatestoentrepreneurs.org/from-prison-to-entrepreneurship-can-entrepreneurship-be-a-reentry-strategy-for-justice-impacted-individuals/ (last visited Mar. 4, 2026).

[4] Brian Hamilton, In the US, all criminal records are life sentences, THE HILL (Apr. 16, 2025), https://thehill.com/opinion/5250004-second-chance-month-reform/.

[5] INMATES TO ENTREPRENEURS, supra note 3.

[6] Lucius Couloute, Getting Back on Course: Educational exclusion and attainment among formerly incarcerated people, Prison Policy Initiative (Oct. 2018), https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/education.html

[7] Brian Hamilton, supra note 4.

[8] Anna Johansson, Can You Start a Business With a Criminal Record?, ENTREPRENEUR (Oct. 29, 2020), https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/can-you-start-a-business-with-a-criminal-record/357625#:~:text=Felons%20and%20certain%20positions.,getting%20approved%20for%20a%20loan.

[9] PROJECT 180, supra note 2.

[10] Shuan Libby, Normalizing Opportunity: Barriers and Supports for Successful Reentry From Incarceration, EDUC. COMM’N OF THE STATES (Apr. 16, 2024), https://www.ecs.org/barriers-and-supports-for-successful-reentry-from-incarceration/.

[11] Erica Bryant, The Challenge of Finding a Job After Prison, VERA INST. OF JUST. (Sep. 5, 2025), https://www.vera.org/news/the-challenge-of-finding-a-job-after-prison.

[12] Brian Hamilton, supra note 4.

[13] Id.

[14] Id.

[15] Kylie Hwang & Damon Phillips, After Prison, Opportunities Are Hard to Come By. Enter Entrepreneurship, KELLOGG INSIGHT (Jul. 1, 2024), https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/after-prison-opportunities-are-hard-to-come-by-enter-entrepreneurship.

[16] INMATES TO ENTREPRENEURS, supra note 3.

[17] Entrepreneurship Offers the Formerly Incarcerated a Path Forward, Hope, PR NEWSWIRE (Oct. 25, 2022), https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/entrepreneurship-offers-the-formerly-incarcerated-a-path-forward-hope-301658973.html.

[18] INMATES TO ENTREPRENEURS, supra note 3.

[19] Lucius Couloute, supra note 6.

[20] Id.

[21] PR NEWSWIRE, supra note 17.

[22] Id.

[23] Lucius Couloute, supra note 6.

[24] Dr. Miesha Williams, How Entrepreneurship Can Reduce Crime & Recidivism, THIRD WAY (Oct. 26, 2022), https://www.thirdway.org/report/how-entrepreneurship-can-reduce-crime-recidivism.

[25] Mary Graham, Unlock America’s hidden entrepreneurs: Congress must pass the New Start Act now, THE HILL (Jul. 12, 2025), https://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/5397334-tech-training-inmates-new-start-act/.

[26] Susan Sharon, In Maine, prisoners are working remote jobs. The pay is a big draw, NPR (Sep. 22, 2025), https://www.npr.org/2025/09/22/nx-s1-5495652/in-maine-prisoners-are-working-remote-jobs-the-pay-is-a-big-draw.

[27] Id.

[28] Mary Graham, supra note 25.

[29] Id.

[30] Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice, USCCB (Nov. 15, 2000), https://www.usccb.org/resources/responsibility-rehabilitation-and-restoration-catholic-perspective-crime-and-criminal.

[31] Id.

[32] Id.

[33] INMATES TO ENTREPRENEURS, supra note 3.