[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 31, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               MODEL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS FOR EX-OFFENDERS

 Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to 
recognize the continued outstanding accomplishments of a model 
employment program for ex-offenders in my home State of Colorado.
  The Golden Door program, founded and developed by Bill Coors, 
president of the Coors Brewing Co., was implemented 28 years ago this 
month. The goal of Golden Door is to provide ex-offenders with a 
comprehensive program for reentry into society with a focus on 
employment. In addition to an employment opportunity targeting people 
with limited employment skills, the Golden Door program offers an 
education, training in personal finances, general counseling, and the 
stability that allows people to successfully maintain a job.
  Eighty percent of the participants in the Golden Door program 
complete it successfully and move on to assume full-time positions 
within the corporation. While this kind of opportunity is somewhat 
rare, Colorado has proven that the concept can be effectively 
duplicated, proving profitable to the sponsoring business, the 
community and the participants.
  Bill Coors' vision for a better community and a second change for 
people has left the State of Colorado with his legacy of philanthropic 
efforts and a solid example to which businesses, small and large alike, 
can aspire. It was in 1994 that I first called the attention of 
Congress to the Golden Door program, commending its good will and 
success. I also used that opportunity to express my support for the 
Targeted Jobs Tax Credit--now the Work Opportunity Tax Credit--
initiative, a program designed to assist smaller businesses in 
employing people of similar target groups.
  Since then, a variety of other legislative action has been taken to 
encourage the successful reentry of ex-offenders into society. 
Employment training is being institutionalized in prisons, and Congress 
is working to safeguard the continuation of these programs as we move 
through the legislative process.
  In addition to highlighting the ongoing success of Golden Door and 
the Nation's concern over reducing the rate of recidivism, I would like 
to recognize a sister program to Golden Door called Gateway Through the 
Rockies, a community partnership to reduce criminal recidivism. The El 
Paso County, CO, Sheriff's Department recently kicked off Gateway to 
provide inmates nearing release with a comprehensive program of 
education, counseling, work experience, social skills training and 
post-release support. Modeled after Golden Door, Gateway offers ex-
offenders a second chance at no cost to taxpayers.
  Golden Door and Gateway Through the Rockies are shining examples of 
how communities and businesses can work together toward improving the 
quality of life for the community, while drastically reducing the cost 
we now incur by simply shuffling people in and out of the penal system. 
On July 11 of this year, my colleague, Senator Graham, stated in a 
Senate floor statement that in Florida, ``the recidivism rate among 
those prisoners who have been through our prison industry program is 
one-fifth of the recidivism rate of the population as a whole.'' These 
figures are impressive. It is my hope that in our effort to practice 
fiscal responsibility and become a less intrusive and yet more 
responsive government, we would make practical decisions regarding that 
segment of our community that has paid its debt and is capable of 
making a positive contribution. Programs serving as this segue simply 
makes sense.
  Mr. President, I would like to state my commitment to encouraging 
such programs and exploring potential legislative initiatives to 
facilitate community partnerships to reduce recidivism. Again, my 
thanks to all of the individuals, organizations and businesses for 
their ground-breaking contributions to community-based programs in 
Colorado and across the country.

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