PORT ORANGE — For Volusia County Council member Matt Reinhart , the most heart-breaking part of his former 30-year career as a corrections officer for Volusia County, was "Seeing the same faces come back to jail."
One of the reasons some former inmates wind up returning to a life of crime is their inability to find a job upon their release from prison, said Reinhart, who retired in 2017 as a warden for the Volusia County Branch Jail and Volusia County Corrections Center.
The Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce hopes to change that.
On Wednesday, the chamber in partnership with the Volusia County Division of Corrections will hold its first-ever Second Chance Job Fair at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.
The event, from 9 a.m. to noon, will provide soon-be-released inmates an opportunity to interview for potential jobs with local employers.
"Everyone deserves a second chance," said Barbara Ann Heegan , the chamber's president and CEO. "We know with stable housing, stable transportation and stable employment that people can rebuild their lives and contribute very positively to our community."
What do the statistics say about the need?
According to the website for a California-based group called Prison to Employment Connection, the recidivism rate — relapsing into criminal behavior — for former incarcerated individuals who maintain a job in their first year after their release is just 16% compared to 52% for those who remain unemployed.
The Volusia County Division of Corrections booked 17,976 inmates in 2023. The average stay behind bars was 18 days, but 56% only spent 1 to 3 days in incarceration, according to the division's most recent annual report. The current average daily population is 1,380.
"Frequent Fliers" — people incarcerated multiple times — remain a big problem. The division counted 37 who were jailed eight or more times last year.
"Employment definitely improves outcomes" for former inmates, said Joe DeMore, director of corrections for the Volusia County Division of Corrections. "If this Second Chance Job Fair can help even one person it's worth it."
How did the chamber get involved?
The chamber earlier this year launched its Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative to help those recovering from addictions. Its Second Chance Initiative is an extension of that program.
Reinhart, whose brother died from a drug overdose last year, was one of the speakers at the chamber event where the Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative was launched in April.
Reinhart said he was talking to Heegan about how helping former inmates find jobs greatly reduces the chances of their falling back into their old "bad routines."
"Think about all those who return to prison because the doors to employment keep shutting on them," he said. "I want to open those doors."
Reinhart said he has already spoken to some employers who are eager to participate in the Second Chance Job Fair.
“I’m thrilled about this partnership with the chamber of commerce," he said. "This job fair aligns perfectly with my vision for the re-entry of our inmate population into society. The Second Chance Initiative has the potential to lower recidivism rates, reduce crime, and help reintegrate those who have made mistakes back into our community as productive members.”
Where will the job fair be held?
The Volusia County Branch Jail is at 1300 Red John Drive in Daytona Beach.
Wanted: willing employers
The chamber has set a deadline of 5 p.m. Monday for employers to sign up to take part in the Second Chance Job Fair.
"By attending they will have the opportunity to engage directly with job seekers, fostering a more effective and personal job search experience," said Heegan.
For more information, email Heegan at bheegan@pschamber.com or call 386-761-1601.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Upcoming '2nd Chance Job Fair' in Daytona aims to open doors to better life for ex-inmates
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