Justice & Finance Forum: Fostering Economic Resilience

Justice & Finance Forum: Fostering Economic Resilience

Tuesday, June 25th 2024, 10:00 - 11:00am

One in 5 people in the US have an experience within the justice system. People who have been impacted face steep barriers to financial stability and wellbeing. Though they may be very savvy, many people have a lack of financial knowledge and understanding of how to navigate financial systems that are continuously evolving. Justice involved individuals often struggle to access records, documents, and identification, may owe court fees and fines, are more likely to be the victim of fraud or identity theft, and may face collections and garnishments on past-due debt.  

Additionally, 29% of formerly incarcerated people lack a bank account. Banking access is shown to increase peoples’ ability to achieve their financial goals, improve their reintegration into society, and may reduce recidivism rates. This is a market largely underserved by mainstream financial services.  

However, models exist to support the financial inclusion of justice-involved individuals. Join us to learn from community members who were formerly incarcerated about the barriers to financial access and challenges to meeting their financial goals. They will also share solutions and resources that we can use to improve the experience of justice-involved individuals in financial institutions and community-based organizations. 

We will hear from: 

• Ruth Utnage, Consultant 

• Jerrel Jones, Credit Revolution Education Directors 

• Moderated by Tierra Bonds, Take Charge Credit Consulting 

In our continued efforts to increase financial inclusion for all Washingtonians, we hope to empower folks with tools and resources they can use to better serve justice-impacted individuals through this justice & finance forum. 

Closed captioning will be provided. Please submit any other accessibility requests by June 10th to jennifer@fenwa.org