Press Release  During Second Chance Month, AG Campbell and Boston Medical Center Co-Host Reentry Roundtable

Boston — Today, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, in partnership with Boston Medical Center, hosted the AGO’s first ever roundtable discussion focused on barriers to housing, employment, education and other opportunities for justice-impacted and formerly incarcerated individuals. The roundtable was held in April, which is nationally recognized as Second Chance Month, during which AG Campbell highlighted the AGO’s resources and trainings available to support safe and successful reentry for returning individuals. 

Held at the Attorney General’s Office, the convening was joined by several reentry-supportive partners and stakeholders, including advocacy, legal services, and nonprofit organizations, along with academics and partners in law enforcement. The Attorney General also prioritized including the voices of justice impacted individuals at the roundtable. 

“Paying a debt to society should come with a true second chance. Yet, formerly incarcerated individuals in our state too often face systemic barriers to economic opportunities that are essential to ensuring people are able to land on—and stay on—their feet,” said AG Campbell. “As we use our own tools to support returning individuals, my office will continue to hear from and work directly with community partners to reduce barriers and expand access to successful and safe reentry for all.” 

“At Boston Medical Center Health System (BMCHS), we work to break down barriers to better health outcomes on both a systemic and individual level. For decades, BMCHS has built a foundation of trust in our   communities by forging key partnerships with local leaders, organizations, and advocates. We are excited to partner with the Attorney General’s Office to break down stigma, create access to resources and to build pathways to compassionate healthcare, education and the workforce for returning citizens,” said Petrina Martin Cherry, Boston Medical Center Health System, Vice President of Community Engagement and External Affairs. “We dedicate time with community groups that directly support returning citizens and to community members who have lived experience to understand their needs and ensure conversations are best tailored to their health and social needs.” 

According to data from recent years, it is estimated that over 61,000 individuals are released from prisons and jails in Massachusetts each year. There are significant racial disparities in rates of incarceration in Massachusetts, with Black and Latinx individuals highly overrepresented in the criminal justice system compared to their white counterparts. Reducing barriers to successful reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals is a key aspect of closing racial opportunity gaps and expanding economic mobility and advancement for all. Accordingly, AG Campbell facilitated today’s discussion to better understand the needs and challenges of both returning citizens and organizations who work with them to inform the Office’s work to reduce barriers to successful reentry.  

As part of today’s efforts, AG Campbell has released resources for justice-impacted individuals and reentry-supportive advocacy groups, legal services and other nonprofit organizations.  The below resources may also serve as a helpful guide for employers, housing and education providers, and others: 

• The AGO’s Know Your Rights Criminal Records: A Guide to Rights in Employment and Housing, available in English and Spanish. As Massachusetts residents with criminal records often face unique challenges during reentry, especially in securing employment and housing, the AGO prepared this guide to help educate residents with criminal records on their basic rights in these areas.  
•  A Brief Guide for Employers that Use Criminal Records in Hiring  

The Attorney General’s Office will also be offering the below virtual trainings to help guide, inform, and support housing, employment, and education opportunities during reentry.  

• Know Your Rights Criminal Records: A Guide to Rights in Employment and Housing, Thursday, May 9^th from 2:00-3:00pm, RSVP here 
• Student Debt Relief for Returning Citizens: Accessing Fresh Start and the SAVE Plan, Tuesday, June 18^th from 1:00-2:30pm, RSVP here and Thursday, June 27^th from 12:00-1:30pm, RSVP here 

Massachusetts residents who believe their rights have been violated on the basis of their criminal record are encouraged to file a complaint with the AGO’s Civil Rights Division. 

The convening is AG Campbell’s latest effort to further her priority of advancing opportunity for all across the Commonwealth, the forefront of her recently announced strategic plan, particularly through promoting economic mobility and closing the racial wealth gap. AG Campbell will continue to partner with and be informed by individuals and organizations whose lives and work are impacted by reentry and will continue to lead, develop, and support efforts to promote successful reentry for all.  

Amongst the individuals and organizations that joined AG Campbell and Boston Medical Center during the convening included: Life After Prison; New Beginnings Reentry Services; The Educational Justice Initiative at MIT; Project Place; UTEC; Transformational Prison Project; Justice 4 Housing; Franklin Cummings Tech; Project Entrepreneur of Boston College Law School; Harvard Kennedy School’s Program on Criminal Justice Policy and Management; Community Legal Aid; Greater Boston Legal Services; Community Resources for Justice; Justice Systems Partners; Roca; the Office of Community Corrections; Associated Industries of Massachusetts; the Hampden County’s Sheriff’s Department; the Massachusetts Sheriff’s Association; and the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. 

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