“I saw lots of engagement,” Hodge said. “I think the big picture is plugging people into a purpose. This gives folks who may have trouble reconnecting to that purpose an opportunity to be self-sufficient.”

Finding steady employment is key to helping former offenders stay out of the criminal justice system in the future, organizers said.

“Serving the re-entry population is not always an easy sell to the community,” Folman said, but helping people re-integrate after prison helps society as a whole. “Giving opportunities to this population promotes public safety and reduces recidivism,” she said.

Recidivism means a relapse of criminal behavior that results in being arrested and/or sent back behind bars, usually within 3 years of being released. The U.S. Department of Corrections released data last month showing that, for the fourth year in a row, Virginia has the lowest recidivism rate in the country: 23.4%. The Virginia DOC credited this, in part, to re-entry programs like this one throughout the state.

However, even if they do not commit any more crimes, having a criminal record makes it more difficult for people to find employment and housing. Without a means of supporting themselves, ex-offenders are more likely to return to old behavior and potentially wind up back behind bars.