Second chance hiring — the practice of giving people with criminal records a fair shot at employment — is more than just a moral cause. In Philadelphia, it’s a smart investment in our city’s future.
This city has always prided itself on being a place of grit, heart and redemption. When I moved here in 2017, I was struck by the determination and resilience that seem to power every neighborhood and community. It’s a city that tackles problems head-on, with creativity, toughness and compassion. As we end Second Chance Month in April, we have an opportunity to double down on those values by making fair-chance employment a civic and economic priority. Because giving people a fair shot at employment isn’t just about individual transformation — it’s about community renewal.
At Baker Industries, we see the power of second chances every day. Just this week, Dwayne — one of our participants — started a new job. After navigating the stigma of a criminal record and committing to a fresh start, he stepped into a routine that helped him adjust to what he calls “real work life.” With structure, high expectations and support, Dwayne built the habits and mindset that prepared him for long-term success. In his words: “Getting into a routine made me adapt to real work life … Expectations here prepare me for what’s to come.”
Second-chance hiring isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s one of the most effective tools we have to improve public safety, grow our economy, and reduce long-term poverty.
He is the architect of his own growing success — and his progress is a testament to his determination, not anyone else’s charity. But stories like his also reveal a deeper truth: While individual effort is essential, real transformation requires a community. It takes an entire city — employers, neighbors, nonprofits, policymakers — to ensure that people like Dwayne have the chance to create a new path for themselves.
Second-chance hiring isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s one of the most effective tools we have to improve public safety, grow our economy, and reduce long-term poverty. According to the City of Philadelphia, about 25,000 people are released each year from local jails, state prisons, and federal facilities into the city. Around one in five Philadelphians has some form of criminal record — a significant portion of our community that faces deep and persistent barriers to employment.
National data shows that stable employment reduces recidivism by as much as 20 percent, yet returning citizens are still five times more likely to be unemployed than the general population. Locking people out of the workforce doesn’t make our communities safer — it makes them more vulnerable, fragile, and ultimately, less just.
Philadelphia is home to a growing and active community of second-chance employers — a combination of nonprofits, social enterprises and for-profit businesses committed to opening doors for those ready to rebuild.
Organizations like Baker Industries provide a bridge: structured, trauma-informed environments where individuals can gain paid work experience, rebuild confidence and prepare for long-term employment.
But the real power lies in the partnerships we’ve built with employers across the region — from small businesses to large companies — who have discovered what we see every day: that people who are given a second chance are often just as eager, if not more, to rise to any challenge. Their lived experience often fuels deep commitment, resilience and a sense of purpose that enriches the workplace culture.
Second Chance Month is more than a symbolic gesture — it’s a moment to act. Philadelphia has the heart, the grit, and the creativity to lead the nation in second-chance hiring. But that will only happen if more of us step up — as employers, as neighbors, as advocates.
If you run a business, consider opening your doors a little wider. If you work in policy, invest in job training and wraparound support. And if you’re part of a community, make space for people reentering society to be seen for who they are today — not just who they were.
Let’s choose to be a city that doesn’t throw people away, but builds them back up. Because second chances don’t just change individual lives — they strengthen entire communities. And if any city knows how to root for the underdog, it’s Philly.
Nic Watson is the Executive Director of Baker Industries, a Malvern- and North Philadelphia-based nonprofit workforce development program serving people with special needs, folks in recovery, and people who were formerly incarcerated.
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