Oakland hires parolees to clean city freeways
Oakland hires parolees to clean up city
A three-year, $12.4 million contract will fund the initiative under the Golden State Works Program, providing Oakland residents on parole with steady employment.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The city of Oakland is hiring parolees to help revitalize the city while continuing to rebuild their lives, officials announced this week.
A three-year, $12.4 million contract will fund the initiative under the Golden State Works Program, providing Oakland residents on parole with steady employment.
Parolees join Caltrans crews
Local perspective:
Participants will work alongside Caltrans crews to remove litter and perform beautification projects along freeways, highways, and expressways in Oakland.
Paid daily
Dig deeper:
The Golden State Works Program provides funding to cities that employ individuals on parole for litter abatement and cleanup as part of Caltrans work crews. And those part of the program will be paid daily.
The city is partnering with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to offer transitional employment opportunities that help parolees reintegrate into the community.
Featured
Oakland issued $1.3M in illegal dumping citations - and collected hardly anything
Piles of trash, box spring mattresses, old blenders and other garbage are common sights around Oakland, as the issue of illegal dumping has perplexed the city for years. But a KTVU inquiry and investigation into using cameras and issuing citations shows that many of these efforts have been underwhelming and inefficient.
"In Oakland we are always proud to support community members who are trying to get on their feet and give back," Mayor Barbara Lee said.
The program tracks success based on participants’ placement into permanent jobs and their retention in those jobs during the first year of employment.
The Source: City of Oakland