Over 70 million Americans have incarceration records that make finding work after serving time extremely difficult. In today’s tight labor market, overlooking this vital talent pool could be a costly mistake.
Judge Songhai Armstead (Ret.) — now director of the Los Angeles County Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department — explains how HR teams can embrace second-chance hiring for these individuals. Learn how to recognize the skills justice-involved candidates bring, navigate fair and comprehensive background checks, and reimagine recruitment and retention practices to match these often-neglected workers to the right roles at your organization.
Podcast Episode Guest
-
Judge Songhai Armstead (Ret.)
In her current position as Director of the LA County Justice, Care and Opportunities Department, she has created new programs and worked with a broad coalition of governmental, non-profit, and private groups. To date, she has overseen the allocation of $350 million for community investment, interventions, and alternatives to incarceration.
As a Superior Court Judge, she had one of the best records for reducing recidivism and the highest rates of compliance. As a prosecutor, her programs impacting veterans, the unhoused, and individuals with mental health and substance use disorders received state and national recognition. As a gifted educator on the topic of implicit bias, she has trained thousands of justice system partners, including attorneys and the Justices of the California Appellate and Supreme Courts.
Judge Armstead is a master teacher, keynote speaker, commentator, and expert in systems change. Judge Armstead’s training and work experiences also encompass systems change, leadership development, conflict resolution, strategic planning, team building, belonging, representation, and justice.
Beyond Judge Songhai’s professional journey, her personal story highlights her resilience, growth, and hard-won success. Her journey grounds her work in empathy, empowering others to view their trials and adversities as strengths to embrace. She guides both individuals and organizations through a process of internal reflection, growth, and meaningful change.
Enjoy On Your Favorite App
Related Content
Learn how rethinking hiring systems can unlock untapped talent and help build a stronger, more resilient, and future-ready workforce.
Feature Stories
As part of SHRM's commitment to providing cutting-edge resources, get additional perspective and more insights in content curated from SHRM and around the web.
Hourly workers are uneasy. To keep them onboard, employers need to focus on the basics, according to new research from SHRM.
In response to declines in productivity in the U.S., business leaders are responding with layoffs, employee monitoring and AI investments.
Given the growing demands on leadership teams, particularly the CEO, the current structure for leading companies may no longer be sustainable. Derek Robson and Tim Brown of global design firm IDEO engage in a whiteboard exercise about alternatives.