Entrepreneurship is one of the most promising tools we have for reducing recidivism. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics¹, more than 650,000 ex-offenders are released from state and federal prisons every year, and an estimated 68% will be rearrested within three years. One of the primary drivers of that cycle is unemployment and limited access to the labor market. Entrepreneurship offers a different path.

According to a Third Way report on entrepreneurship and recidivism², formerly incarcerated individuals are actually 45% more likely to become entrepreneurs compared to similar people without a criminal record, because they are more open to risk and opportunity and, when properly equipped, are prime candidates for entrepreneurial endeavors.

The evidence is also clear that education and training programs move the needle. According to the Mackinac Center³, research shows that prison workforce and education programs reduce the likelihood of recidivism by nearly 15%, increase the likelihood of employment, and lead to higher wages for formerly incarcerated people. According to the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City⁴, entrepreneurship programs specifically have demonstrated the potential to create economic opportunity, reduce recidivism, and offer significant fiscal savings to communities.

DIY works with organizations, institutions, and nonprofits that are already embedded in communities with criminal records, meeting people where trusted relationships already exist. Through those partnerships, we bring structured workshop programming directly to participants.

The workshops guide participants through the full arc of building a business idea: from early ideation, through prototyping and testing, to the foundational steps of actually launching. The pace, format, and materials are shaped around the community we are working with and the partner organization's existing programming. What stays consistent across every engagement is the commitment to leaving participants with actionable work plans. Every person who goes through a DIY workshop leaves with practical tools, real resources, and the ongoing support of DIY as they scale their ideas.

This work runs on partnership. If you know an organization, institution, or nonprofit that works with people with criminal records and would benefit from bringing entrepreneurship programming to their community, we want to hear from you. A warm introduction or a simple referral goes a long way.

If your organization is looking for business coaching for your team, solopreneurs in your network, or leaders within your company, contracting DIY for that work is directly what makes the pro-bono arm of this program possible. Every paid engagement funds the time and resources that go into this work.

Either way, the door is open. Reach out through our “Contact" page and let's talk about how we can work together.