Testimony to the Washington, D.C. Government Politicians Concerning Returning Citizens from Prison

Testimony of Rev. George C. Gilbert Jr. Executive Director, East of the River Clergy Police Community Partnership “District of Columbia Incarceration to Incorporation Entrepreneurship Program Act of 2015” January 28, 2015 Thank you Chairman Orange for the opportunity to testify before the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs on this important legislation, the “District of Columbia Incarceration to Incorporation Entrepreneurship Program Act of 2015”. My name is Reverend George C. Gilbert, Jr. and I am the Executive Director of the East of the River Clergy Police Community Partnership. The East of the River Clergy Police Community Partnership, or ERCPCP, was founded in 1999 to devise a collaborative and wholistic approach to address youth violence and related issues. We are a faith based program that partners with the police and community to prevent crime East of the River. We work with the police as well as enlist the support of churches and community organizations. The ERCPCP is located in Southeast, DC, home to the highest crime rates in the District. We witness firsthand how violence and crime plague our community. Our community is also home to many returning citizens. ERCPCP’s mission is to reverse the incidence of violent crimes, reduce the rate of recidivism, and foster educational achievement. It works with youth already in the criminal justice system or at greatest risk of dropping out of school. An intervention based model, ERCPCP seeks to change the direction of youth who perpetrate violent crimes and serve as new recruits for violence and failure because of educational dysfunction and disinterest. One of the key factors in reducing recidivism is employment. Without jobs, many returning citizens will return to the crimes that put them behind bars before. Unfortunately, many returning citizens have a difficult time finding employment. Many returning citizens do not have the skills to find long term, meaningful employment. What we find, especially East of the River, are that returning citizens want to find work. They want to provide for their families and provide for them legally. They don’t want to lose any more years to the prison system. Self-employment is a great alternative for returning citizens and B21-0463, the “District of Columbia Incarceration to Incorporation Entrepreneurship Program Act of 2015” provides that pathway. Many returning citizens have tangible skills. Why not turn those skills into small businesses? Barbershops, landscaping companies, restaurants, car services, cleaning companies, the list could go on. There are successful businesses already in the District that are owned and operated by returning citizens but not nearly enough. This bill provides the funding, the education and the training that is necessary to start and operate a successful business. While many returning citizens might have the skills, they don’t have the appropriate background and education to be successful business owners. Accounting, business planning, budgeting, and marketing are important to a successful small business. This bill provides for that. It also provides scholarships and grants for the University of the District of Columbia and the University of the District of Columbia Community College. This is important because many of the District’s returning citizens do not have the financial resources to take college classes. Grants and scholarships make it much more attainable for them. I support this bill because it is an investment in better the livelihoods of returning citizens which is in turn an investment in the District of Columbia. I hope the Council moves forward with this legislation. The District is home to many returning citizens and if this government is serious about reducing recidivism and providing an alternative way of life, the “District of Columbia Incarceration to Incorporation Entrepreneurship Program Act of 2015” is a positive step in the right direction. Thank you again for holding a hearing on this bill and I am available to answer any questions.