Governor Ron DeSantis today joined Vice President Mike Pence and Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump to discuss criminal justice reform at Jacksonville’s Operation New Hope, an organization that provides support and job skills training for people with a history in the criminal justice system and places them in employment that offers a sustainable quality of life. Governor DeSantis, Vice President Pence and Ivanka Trump, who continue to lead initiatives on criminal justice reform and public safety, were joined by community leaders and local residents who have successfully re-entered the community after leaving the criminal justice system thanks to Operation New Hope.
“People make mistakes that should not mark them for life. We need to make sure that those who leave Florida’s criminal justice system have a chance to succeed by becoming healthy and productive members of society,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I was proud to sign into law a budget that includes significant funding for Operation New Hope, supporting the innovative work that the Ready4Work program does here. I greatly appreciate Vice President Pence and Ivanka Trump’s great work on this issue and look forward to the continued success of these re-entry programs.”
Operation New Hope is an organization that provides both pre- and post-release services such as career development, job and life skills training for people with a history of involvement with the criminal justice system, and places them in employment that offers a sustainable quality of life. Through the work of Operation New Hope and re-entry efforts at the Florida Department of Corrections, Florida has seen a steady decline in recidivism rates over the last 10 years.
Following the roundtable, the group toured Miller Electric, a local business partnering with Operation New Hope which hires individuals re-entering the workforce after leaving the criminal justice system. The company has grown from a local electrical contractor to a national company with more than 2,000 employees doing business in over 40 states. Miller Electric is a proud partner of Operation New Hope and places an emphasis on vocational training, giving those ready to re-enter the workforce valuable skills that make them more employable.
