A Washington Department of Corrections job listing shows the state government is looking to hire a formerly incarcerated person for a six-figure salary to help foster an “inclusive culture” at the agency.
“We are looking for teammates who share our vision of public service, committed to an equitable and inclusive culture that fosters and inspires excellence, while promoting innovation, engagement and safety, leading to better outcomes for our incarcerated population, our agency and our community,” the job listing says in a section that says “duties” for the “Person-Centered Services Director” position.
“The ideal candidate is a diligent and ambitious individual with lived experience as a [formerly] incarcerated individual,” the publication added.
The work is part of a larger effort in Washington to “destigmatize” criminals, KTTH radio host Jason Rantz reported.
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Handcuffed man. (Reuters/Lucy Nicholson)
“The position is designed to bring the voice of incarcerated people into departmental practices, and that is why someone with that lived experience is preferred,” a DOC spokesperson told “The Jason Rantz Show.”
The job will pay between $108,636 and $133,044 a year, in addition to benefits.
If hired, the employee would “serve as a senior member of the agency’s Executive Leadership Team and provide direct oversight of various strategic initiatives with the goal of working to continue to reduce recidivism and improve re-entry for incarcerated adults.”
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A plane flies over the King County Correctional Center in downtown Seattle. (Reuters/Lindsey Wasson)
The job listing does not specify whether a certain criminal history would bar a candidate from filling the position, and the spokesperson told Rantz that the position is open to all former inmates, regardless of crimes they may have committed.
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“There is not necessarily a criminal record that would prevent someone from being considered. DOC will ensure that whoever is hired is thoroughly vetted,” the DOC spokesperson said.
The Space Needle and Mount Rainier are seen on the Seattle skyline on February 11, 2017. (REUTERS/Chris Helgren)
Rantz noted that a person’s criminal record doesn’t matter much for the application process anyway, citing the state’s Washington Fair Chance Act. The law went into effect in 2018 and prevents public and private entities from asking applicants about their potential criminal records until they are deemed qualified for a job.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the state Department of Corrections early Thursday morning but did not immediately receive a response.
