meanwhile there's been a greater effort here in the state to help those getting back on their feet after serving time in prison by helping the formerly incarcerated find employment and gain the skills they need to land a good paying job upon release as Ted Goldberg reports it's a key factor in keeping those individuals from reoffending the entry started behind the wall you know accepting responsibility for the crime that I committed in society paying my debt forward I'm paid up now it's time for me to you know get my life together enjoy life New Jersey re-entry corporations annual conference was a celebration of people who are now putting prison behind them ex-felons like Ulysses McMullen said having a job plays a big factor in straightening out his life I've gotten a few trades I work nights that's why I'm a little tired candido how many years behind the wall I was 28 years when I get my first restaurant it will sell only six Play A Day and then start working hard the way they're supposed to be and today I said 300 plays a day people spoke at length about the need for formerly incarcerated folks to get a job even before they're released and hold on to it after they get out Anthony defrisco was behind bars after a murder conviction in 1987 but then turned State's witness which allowed him that opportunity they let me come out a couple hours a day and work and I felt good about that gave me something to do focused my time my energy I'd be the one delivering the news to them that you know great news you pass the GED and someone would give me a high five or a fist bump and sometimes you know this would be a grown man just dissolve in tears and and fall into my arms at the thought that they had passed the GED and you know honestly I was making 37 cents an hour doing that job and it could have been 37 cents an hour it could have been 37 an hour it could have been 3 700 a week it doesn't matter it has to start behind the wall I mean the reality is we have to start preparing men and women behind the wall for productive life and we can't waste years of waste wasted time no access to computers no access to services so Frisco says getting a job after getting out was far from Easy people don't do background checks anymore they just Google you and they don't even tell you so you have I have great interviews and great this and great that and will so happy to help you and then they Google me and then they say yes we do hire ex-felons just not all ex-felons people were told when to go to work I mean when to went to eat when to go to Every Little function and so people didn't have the ability to make decisions NJ reentry Corporation chairman Jim McGreevy welcome to a wide variety of speakers to Jersey City today pastors and politicians praising his efforts and the program in general if we're not going to be serious about helping individuals re-enter Society have dignity have a purpose have a job then we are going to be in this never-ending cycle of recidivism we're trying to make sure that dignity is restored and that individual has an opportunity to provide for their families and their loved ones statistics don't lie I mean New Jersey gets a rap bad rap for a lot of things I will tell you that in New Jersey the national recidivism rate is like 70 percent New Jersey's 33. so I think that speaks volumes as to the programs that we do have NJ reentry Corporation offers job training across 16 different programs including construction and green energy giving those who served the tools to succeed in Jersey City I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight news [Music]