Contact:
North Carolina Division of Workforce Development
313 Chapanoke Road
Raleigh, NC 27699-4316
919-329--5230
919-329-5585 fax
Web Site: http://www.nccommerce.com/en/WorkforceServices/

Information about State Department of Labor resources may be of interest to:
• potential employers looking for incentives to hire individuals with criminal histories;
• service providers and individuals with criminal histories who are looking for assistance in finding employment; and
• researchers and policy makers looking at current programs to ascertain what programs are effective and serve their intended purpose.

A. Federal Bonding Program
The Federal Bonding Program provides fidelity bonding insurance coverage to individuals with criminal histories and other high-risk job applicants who are qualified, but fail to get jobs because regular commercial bonding is denied due to their backgrounds.

Contact:
Employment Security Commission of North Carolina
Attn: Application Services Unit - Federal Bonding
P.O. Box 27625
Raleigh, NC 27611-7625
919-733--4896
919-733-3010 fax
Web Site: www.ncesc.com

Employment Security Commission

Contact:
Employment Security Commission of North Carolina
Attn: Application Services Unit WOTC/WTW
P.O. Box 27611-7625
Raleigh, NC 27611-7625
919-733-4896
919-733-3010 fax
Web Site: http://www.ncesc1.com/locator/locatormain.asp

B. Tax Credits
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit to reduce the federal tax liability of private for profit employers to be used as an incentive for employers to hire individuals from eight different targeted groups: TANF recipients, veterans, ex-felons, high risk youth, summer youth, Food Stamp recipients, SSI recipients, and vocational rehabilitation referrals.

Contact:
Employment Security Commission of North Carolina
Attn: Application Services Unit WOTC/WTW
P.O. Box 27625
Raleigh, NC 27611-7625
919-733-4896
919-733-3010 fax
E-Mail: wotc@ncmail.net
Web Site: http://www.ncesc1.com/business/savemoney/wotc.asp

C. Unemployment Insurance Office
Unemployment compensation is a social insurance program designed to provide benefits to most individuals out of work, generally through no fault of their own, for periods between jobs. In order to be eligible for benefits, jobless workers must demonstrate that they have worked, usually measured by amount of wages and/or weeks of work, and must be able and available for work.

The unemployment compensation program is based upon federal law, but administered by states under state law.

Unemployment claims may be filed on line or in person at a local employment services office.

Contact:
Employment Security Commission of North Carolina
700 Wade Ave.
Raleigh, NC 27611
919-329--5230
919-329-5585 fax
Web Site: www.ncesc.com/individual/UI/UIMain.asp

II. Criminal Record Repository
This is the agency individuals may contact to obtain a copy of their state rap sheet. The criminal record repository can also tell the individual who else is legally entitled to have access to his or her record.

Contact:
North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation
Division of Criminal Information
407 North Blount St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-716-6725
Web Site: www.ncsbi.gov/offices/offices_specialops_ciis.jsp

III. State Attorney General
Employers and service providers may obtain information from the state attorney general regarding occupational bars, the licensing of individuals with criminal records in certain jobs, and whether the state has laws that limit what employers may ask job applicants or protections against employment discrimination based on a criminal record.

Contact:
Office of the Attorney General
North Carolina Department of Justice
P.O. Box 629
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-716-6400
919-716-6750 fax
Web Site: www.jus.state.nc.us

IV. State Department of Corrections

Prison Industry Program

The prison industry program, Correction Enterprises, is aimed at providing meaningful work experience and rehabilitative opportunities for inmates and providing quality goods and services to tax supported entities. Products manufactured include license plates, signage, state uniforms, paint, janitorial supplies, optical grinding and canned/frozen food. Services available include printing and laundry. Prisoners assigned to the prison industry may earn up to $3 per day and also a reduction of sentence by earning “gain” time (time subtracted from one’s confinement time).

Contact:
Correction Enterprises
North Carolina Department of Corrections
2020 Yonkers Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27604
919-716-3600
919-716-3975 fax
Web Site: www.doc.state.nc.us/eprise/index.htm

To be eligible for the work release or study release program inmates must be classified as minimum security and be serving their final months of incarceration. They must also have exemplary disciplinary records. Participants pay room and board and are required to make child support payments and any court-ordered restitution.

Contact:
North Carolina Department of Correction
831 West Morgan St.
4202 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
919-716-3700
919-733-8272 fax
Web Site: www.doc.state.nc.us

Job Start is a prison-to-work transition program started in 2000 as a pilot program in five North Carolina prisons. Each pilot program follows a similar program but adaptations are made at each facility. Some aspects of the program have been standardized throughout the Department of Corrections, including the inmate portfolio system. When a person becomes incarcerated, a transition document envelope is placed in his or her Department of Correction official record. The envelope will contain documents that an inmate may enter the system with or obtains during incarceration such as diplomas, certificates of completion of programs, as well as vocational training. A social security card is obtained. Through an agreement with the Department of Motor Vehicles, recently released prisoners can present their social security cards and inmate photo ID card to obtain state photo ID. Case management is an integral part of the current programming effort for all inmates. This program is optional and each site determines its own selection criteria. All custody levels at facilities where Job Start is available may participate 12 to 18 months prior to release.

Contact:
Job Preparation for Offenders
North Carolina Department of Corrections
4262 Mail Service Center
831 West Morgan St.
Raleigh, NC 27699
919-716-3097
919-715-5785 fax
Web Site: www.doc.state.nc.us

Post Release Transitional programs are handled by the Division of Community Corrections. (See information listed in Section V.)

Contact:

V. North Carolina Department of Correction

The Division of Community Corrections of the North Carolina Department of Correction supervises parolees, as well as those individuals sentenced to community-based punishments.

Contact:
Division of Community Corrections
North Carolina Department of Corrections
2020 Yonkers Rd.
4250 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
919-716-3100
919-716-3996 fax
Web Site: www.doc.state.nc.us

Contact:

Contact:

VI. Legal Assistance
Free or low-cost legal resources, both in civil and criminal law, are helpful to individuals with criminal histories in learning about relevant state laws governing the expungement or sealing of criminal histories or addressing other legal issues resulting from having a criminal history.

A. State Public Defender

Contact:
Indigent Defense Services
123 West Main St., Suite 700
Durham, NC 27701
919-560-3380
919-560-3332 fax
Web Site: www.aoc.state.nc.us/www/ids

B. Legal Services

Indigent Defense Services functions as counsel in criminal matters for capital offenses and appeal purposes only. All other attorneys are appointed by the court for indigent defendants. Each county maintains its own list of attorneys who will accept assignments from the court.

Contact:

Legal Aid of North Carolina provides free legal representation to low- income people in civil matters only, including housing, family and employment law.

Contact:
Legal Aid of North Carolina
224 South Dawson St.
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-856-2564
Web Site: www.legalaidnc.org

C. State Bar Association

Contact:
North Carolina Bar Association
P.O. Box 3688
Cary, NC 27519
919-677-0561
919-677-0761 fax
Web Site: www.ncbar.org

VII. Local Service Providers
Community agencies are available to assist individuals with criminal records find employment. This information will inform individuals with criminal records about government agencies and community-based organizations that assist with employment, education or vocational training. Researchers and policy makers may find this information useful in identifying agencies and service providers in order to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs.

JobLink Career Centers are the one-stop career centers in North Carolina. These centers provide job seekers a single place to address their employment and training needs. Services include job listings, job placement, assessment, resume preparation, education and training assistance and referrals to other agency partners such as local community colleges, rehabilitation agencies, social services, and other partners.

Contact:
North Carolina Department of Commerce
Division of Workforce Development
313 Chapanoke Road
4316 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-4316
919-329-5230
919-662-4770 fax
Web Site: http://www.nccommerce.com/en/WorkforceServices

Energy Committed to Offenders (ECO) is a community-based organization that begins working with offenders, located in either county or state facilities, during their incarceration. Presentations on employment topics are given prior to release. ECO assists recently released offenders as well. It offers transportation for job searches and provides transportation to and from new jobs. ECO also provides housing and clothing referrals for those recently released prisoners. ECO maintains a 20 bed live-in transitional center where recently released female prisoners are encouraged to reconnect with their children and participate in parenting classes.

Contact:
Energy Committed to Offenders
P.O. Box 33533
Charlotte, NC 28233
704-374-0762
704-374-1627 fax

The Greensboro Police Department's Violent Crime Task Force has established a "call-in" program. "Call-in" means that individuals with a violent criminal history are called to a meeting with the Violent Crime Task Force. The task force consists of federal, state and local law enforcement and community volunteers. The law enforcement community informs the participants of legal consequences of further criminal activity. Community volunteers offer support, job leads and assistance encouraging legal behavior. Job development and placement services are also available.

Contact:
Greensboro Police Department Violent Crime Task Force
300 West Washington St.
Greensboro, NC 27402
336-887-7855

High Point Violent Crime Task Force partners with law enforcement agencies and the community in an effort to reduce the amount of violent crime involving guns and other deadly weapons in the city of High Point. Federal, state and local law enforcement teams work together to ensure the stiffest penalty possible when an individual is convicted of a violent felony. At the same time, these agencies collaborate with social service providers to assist individuals with criminal histories re-enter society. A resource coordinator assists with those issues and needs that an individual identifies, such as job links, counseling, alcohol and substance abuse treatment, or assistance in securing transportation to job sites. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro assists with statistical analysis of the success of the project.

Contact:
High Point Police Department
Violent Crime Task Force
High Point, NC
336-887-7877

Passage Home (PH) is a faith based, non-profit, community development corporation providing housing and support services to low-income and homeless families, including individuals with criminal histories, in the Raleigh and Wake County communities. In conjunction with PH, a group of women representing various faith communities created a project, Harriet’s House, to assist women leaving prison. Services include family mentoring, youth buddies, clothing, furniture, food distribution, housing reconstruction and maintenance, childcare and transportation assistance for participant families.

Contact:
Passage Home
712 W. Johnson Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
919-843-0666
Web Site: www.passagehome.org

Contact:

Contact: