WATERLOO – Officials will hold an exercise this week in Waterloo to demonstrate the obstacles ex-cons face when getting out of prison and trying to get a job.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa is hosting an ex-offender reentry simulation on April 20 from 9:45 a.m. through 11:00 a.m. at Tama Hall at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo. The reentry simulation is part of a day-long seminar focused on educating employers regarding the benefits of hiring ex‑offenders. The seminar is sponsored by Cedar Valley Iowa WORKS, Employers Council of Iowa, and Hawkeye Community College.
The simulation will allow participants to “step inside the shoes” of someone being released from prison, to allow them to see the obstacles that exist in an ex-offender’s transition from prison back to our community. This simulation is just one of many reentry related events being held across the country, as the U.S. Department of Justice has designated the last week of April as National Reentry Week.
An Assistant United States Attorney will be available following the reentry simulation to discuss the simulation and answer any questions related to the office’s commitment to reducing recidivism.
