When I think about entrepreneurship, I think about resilience. I think about people who see opportunity where others see obstacles — who transform challenges into innovation and refuse to let circumstances define their future. That’s why I urge Congress to pass the New Start Act: legislation that recognizes a truth too many overlook — some of America’s most promising entrepreneurs are sitting behind bars.
Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) have introduced groundbreaking legislation to create a five-year pilot program through the Small Business Administration. It would award grants of $100,000 to $500,000 annually to organizations training currently and formerly incarcerated individuals in entrepreneurship. This isn’t just smart policy — it’s an essential economic strategy.
This approach works because it addresses both immediate needs and long-term potential. Technology training programs across the country are proving that individuals impacted by the justice system can excel in accessible, high-demand fields — from building responsive websites and integrating AI tools into software applications to managing data analytics projects — when given proper support and opportunity.
The results speak for themselves. Programs nationwide are achieving strong employment outcomes and significantly reduced recidivism rates. Graduates earn competitive starting salaries while saving taxpayers thousands annually by avoiding reincarceration.
But here’s what the data doesn’t capture: the entrepreneurial spirit we see every day. Take Rachael. She survived an unstable childhood, an abusive marriage, addiction and two periods of incarceration. Through a technology training program, she didn’t just learn to code — she learned to believe in herself. Today, she’s thriving as a software developer while rebuilding relationships with her children. “I can honestly say I’m legitimately happy,” she told us recently. That transformation happened because someone recognized her potential — not just her past.
The New Start Act acknowledges what forward-thinking leaders already know: necessity breeds innovation. Research consistently shows that individuals with justice system involvement make excellent employees and entrepreneurs. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 81 percent of managers report these employees perform as well or better than peers without criminal records. A RAND Corporation study found that individuals participating in correctional education programs were 43 percent less likely to return to prison and significantly more likely to find employment.
This bill addresses a massive economic gap. The U.S. spends approximately $80 billion annually on incarceration, yet faces a massive shortage of skilled workers. Meanwhile, over 626,000 people are released from prison each year — and formerly incarcerated people face unemployment rates exceeding 27 percent, far higher than the general population. The Center for Economic and Policy Research estimates $87 billion in annual GDP is lost when people with justice system involvement are excluded from the workforce.
Entrepreneurship is especially powerful because it bypasses the employment discrimination that formerly incarcerated individuals often face. When someone can’t get hired because of their background, they can create their own opportunity — and hire others along the way. With skills in web development, software programming or data analytics, they can become job creators, not just job seekers.
But this isn’t just about individual redemption. It’s about breaking intergenerational cycles. Research published by Child Trends shows that more than 5 million children have experienced parental incarceration, affecting families across generations. When we invest in parents’ economic mobility, we change the future for entire families.
The business case is undeniable. Organizations recognize that entrepreneurship among returning citizens reduces recidivism, creates jobs and strengthens communities. As Jeffrey Korzenik demonstrates in “Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works for Your Business and the Community,” when formerly incarcerated individuals build businesses, they create jobs for others, generate tax revenue and reduce recidivism-related costs borne by all taxpayers.
Critics may ask whether taxpayers should fund entrepreneurship training for people who’ve made mistakes. But the alternative is clear: continue spending $35,000-$70,000 per person per year on incarceration, or invest in programs that unlock human potential and grow the economy. The math is simple. The moral imperative is clear.
I’ve seen what’s possible when we stop punishing potential and start investing in it. I’ve watched people go from tax burdens to taxpayers, from perceived risks to real community assets. The New Start Act would bring that transformation to scale.
Congress has an opportunity to move beyond rhetoric and enact real change. The New Start Act doesn’t just offer second chances — it creates first opportunities for people to build the futures they’ve always deserved.
America has always been the land of second chances and self-made success. The New Start Act reflects both values. It’s time for Congress to pass it — and unlock the entrepreneurial potential that exists in every person, even behind bars.
Mary Graham, CEO of Persevere, leads a nonprofit providing technology workforce development to individuals with justice system involvement across six states, applying her 25+ years of workforce development experience to achieve recidivism rates under 3 percent and place 87 percent of graduates in employment within six months of release.
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