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When prison records stand in the way of getting work
Jun 17, 2021

When prison records stand in the way of getting work

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Despite work experience and training for people who are incarcerated, many worry about finding employment once they get out. What, then, does rehabilitation mean? Plus, in a trend reversal, more people, not fewer, signed up for unemployment benefits last week. Also, support in the Senate continues to build for a bipartisan plan to fix infrastructure. And, why we've seen so many IPOs so far this year.

Segments From this episode

Weekly unemployment claims rise snapping a 6-week streak of declines

“They rose instead of falling, and they’re still running nearly double what they were pre-pandemic, which is not good,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton. Swonk said the silver lining might be that the much of the increase was concentrated in just three states: California, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

What's behind the boom in IPOs?

Jun 17, 2021
The type of companies that have gone public this year are often in sectors that have done well during the pandemic.
According to Dealogic, the amount of money raised through IPOs in 2021 has already surpassed the total in 2020, and it's only June.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The hidden side of the prison labor economy

Jun 17, 2021
Prison work programs can be selective and often train people for jobs they can't actually get on the outside, according to law professor Hadar Aviram.
Firefighting is just one of the jobs done by people who are incarcerated. The chances they will get hired as firefighters after they get out of prison are low.
David McNew/AFP via Getty Images

Music from the episode

Power - Instrumental Nicholas Britell

The team

Victoria Craig Host, BBC
Stephen Ryan Senior Producer, BBC
Jonathan Frewin Producer, BBC
Daniel Shin Producer
Jay Siebold Technical Director
Brian Allison Engineer
Meredith Garretson Morbey Senior Producer
Erika Soderstrom Producer
Rose Conlon Producer
Alex Schroeder Producer