Workshop to help people in Marion County with criminal history returns to in-person meetings – Fox 59

MARION COUNTY, Ind. AMarionCountyprogram to help people with criminal backgrounds re-enter the workforce returns to in-person meetings.

StartingTuesday,theMarionCountyProsecutorsOfficeSecondChanceWorkshop is no longer online. Its reversing a switch that was made during the pandemic and is going back to face to face.

County prosecutorRyanMearssays there werebarriers to doing it online and returning to in-person removes those and allows them to make more of a connection with the people they are trying to help.

Theres people who dont have access to reliable internet. Andso,youkind of excludepeople when you do them virtual-based just because not everybody can log on to a website orhas the ability tocommunicate that way, said Mears.

Were asking these people personal questions about their background. And talking toa complete strangerover a computer is onething butestablishing that in-person relationship is even better. And the other thing is,its just easier to work through challenges and problems that you face and its easier to find a solution when everyone is in the room working together to try and figure these things out.

The point of the workshop is to help people with criminal history either get their drivers licenses or clean up their records.

We have to bring these services to people and access to justice is a real issue. And this is our way of reaching out to the community and saying, Hey, were trying to help so that people can move forward with their lives.'

The prosecutors office has volunteers and representation come and helpset aside thousands in traffic tickets and DMV reinstatementfees and then start the work to have someprior convictionsexpunged.

When kids feel like they have a better opportunity, they dont commit crime. And when adults havejobs,theydontcommit crimes, said Mears.

So,when youare able tohelp people get jobs and get into the workforce, these individuals are not going to be the ones out there committing crimes.So,this is the best crime prevention tool that there is.

The first one backisTuesdayand another onThursday.Theyre somethingMears says people were excited to see return, as shown by the sign-ups.

I think it also goes to show how many people are looking for help. We opened the registration for these twoevents,and we had 375 people register within 48 hours. Which tells you the demand. Weactually hadto close the registration.

Theyare planning to host at least one workshop a month moving forward.

It just tells me how many people are out there in the community who want help, who want to do better, who want to be in a position to move forward with theirlives.

Click hereto find out if you qualifyand for details on registering.

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Workshop to help people in Marion County with criminal history returns to in-person meetings - Fox 59