April is Second Chance Month 

FRANKFORT, KY - On April 24, 2025, to further support job growth and help reunite families, Gov. Andy Beshear announced more than a dozen new vocational programs at Kentucky’s adult correctional facilities across the state.

These new programs are part of the Governor’s reentry initiative, which assists inmates who are leaving incarceration fund meaningful employment, addiction treatment and education so they do not reoffend and can build a better future for themselves and their families. The initiative also aims to keep the state’s recidivism low and boost public safety. Under the Governor’s leadership, Kentucky has secured low recidivism rates with nearly 70% of people released from state custody over the past two years not being re-incarcerated.

“To continue this historic progress, we are doubling down on our commitment to reentry programs,” Gov. Beshear said. “When we invest in these programs we are investing in our families and communities, which results in job growth and enhanced public safety.”

More than a dozen new vocational programs include training in plumbing, basic construction skills, HVAC and commercial vehicle operation, among others. The vocational programs will be available as early as this summer with others launching in spring 2026.

This new initiative is being funded by a career and technical education workforce development grant from the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is a vital partner in much of the educational programming provided by the Department of Corrections.

Last year, the Governor announced that the first prison to launch a new professional licensure program would be the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women, which is establishing a licensed cosmetology school. This is the first time in Kentucky that a prison has operated a cosmetology school.

In February, the administration announced a partnership with Ironworkers Local Union #70 for inmates housed at Northpoint Training Center and Luther Luckett Correctional Complex to participate in a pre-apprenticeship program. Through this two-year paid program, inmates will have the opportunity to become skilled ironworkers, installing and assembling the structural steel and iron components that build the framework of our buildings and our bridges.

The reentry initiative is led by special advisor Kerry Harvey, who said, “Meaningful employment is a fundamental element of successful reentry. A living wage job allows returning inmates to support their families and provides the promise of a better future. People with a hopeful future are far less likely to reoffend. We are building a growing roster of Kentucky employers who are giving reentering inmates a fair chance to compete for jobs for which they are qualified.”

The Governor also signed an executive order creating the Team Kentucky Office of Reentry Services. The office will be headed up by Natalie Burikhanov, who has been with us the Justice Cabinet. Ann Blaylock, with the Education and Labor Cabinet, will serve as general counsel for the office.

“We welcome these folks to their new roles where they will work with cabinet secretaries and agency heads as well as many partners to continue our re-entry work,” Gov. Beshear said.

The Governor highlighted that the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has worked closely with Team Kentucky to identify second chance employers who are interested in hiring eligible former inmates. As of today, the chamber has identified more than 25 employers for the initial pilot program, the Fair Chance Hiring Campaign, with a commitment to growing the list.

“Employment is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce recidivism and break the cycle of incarceration. When individuals have the opportunity to earn a paycheck, they are less likely to reoffend, making our communities safer, supporting self-sufficiency and reducing taxpayer costs,” said Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts in a video. “Kentucky’s business community has a critical role to play, and many are already stepping up. Through the chamber’s Fair Chance Academy, 218 employers have been trained, hiring over 550 fair chance employees. Fair chance hiring is on the rise nationwide, and Kentucky is proud to lead that charge. To truly scale these efforts, we must work with policymakers to reduce the red tape that keeps ready and willing workers on the sidelines. We’re proud to partner with the Governor’s Office through the Fair Chance Hiring Campaign to grow this important work, making it easier and more accessible for businesses across the commonwealth to be part of the solution.”

By working together, the Team Kentucky is building a better commonwealth full of opportunities for all Kentuckians.

The Governor has announced that overdose deaths in the commonwealth decreased two years in a row, with 2023 seeing a 9.8% decrease compared with the previous year. 

Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,100 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $35 billion in announced investments, creating more than 60,500 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $14 billion more than the next highest total.

To build on these successes, the Governor is focused on investing in reentry programs.

In March, Gov. Beshear signed Senate Bill 22, allowing inmates the opportunity to take the barbering test to obtain their license while incarcerated and secure a job upon release.

Each of Kentucky’s 14 state prisons has established its own reentry center. The centers operate inside the prisons and deliver focused life-skills training designed to prepare inmates for success upon release.

On Oct. 17, 2024, the Governor signed an executive order?establishing the Governor’s Council of Second Chance Employers, comprising 15 business and community leaders.

In April 2024, Gov. Beshear announced a?new website?to help Kentuckians seeking a second chance find a job, get an education or continue recovery. The site also connects business leaders with resources to help them hire second-chance talent.

In 2023, the Governor was joined by members of the Kentucky State Building and Construction Trades Council to launch the?Jobs on Day One initiative, which aims to provide inmates with employable skills when they leave incarceration. Employers interested in participating in Jobs on Day One,?click here.

On his third day in office, Gov. Beshear restored voting rights to Kentuckians who had completed their sentences for nonviolent, nonsexual offenses. Now nearly 196,748 Kentuckians’ voting rights have been restored.