The Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DLI)’s recent Montanans for Hire report identified criminal history as one of the more common barriers to employment among the state's long-term unemployed. During the 2025 Legislative Session, lawmakers established a new Office of Reentry Programs at DLI, intended to improve coordination of services for people leaving incarceration. The goal is to improve employment outcomes for people with criminal justice history and in doing so, reduce both recidivism and criminal activity.

Employers are often concerned about hiring from the reentry population, yet many businesses have established processes and strategies that have led to successful outcomes. Improving access to meaningful training programs, while incarcerated and upon exit, including apprenticeship, can help people find a new path forward in life and improve public safety across Montana. (406 Jobs imitative Press release)