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The United States has unintentionally created a class crisis. People born into impoverished communities often grow up in single-parent homes, attend failing schools and don’t learn marketable skills. Despite this challenging start, we believe they still have great potential. Unfortunately those without a high school diploma sometimes resort to illegal activities to feed themselves and their families. These activities invariably lead to arrest and harsh convictions.

Upon release, felons find it nearly impossible to find legitimate employment. Criminal background checks are so easy and cheap to do that all employers now do them. If there is even one other applicant, the person without a criminal record gets the job. In order to get and keep a legitimate job, felons must either: a) start their own business (difficult), or b) get a marketable skill where demand outstrips supply (vocational skills such as truck driving, construction and farm labor).

This crisis needs to be addressed at many levels: welfare reform to keep families intact, education reform to create winning schools in all communities, vocational training to give all able-bodied people the skills to get and keep a legitimate job.

For now, we choose vocational training.