KENTUCKY — On this week’s program, we’re talking about what’s referred to as second chance work opportunities here in the Commonwealth. 

According to the U.S. Chamber, our country has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Nearly 1.25 million Americans are incarcerated in the U.S. correctional system, with an additional 3.7 million on probation or on parole at any time.

Amy Luttrell, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, joins this segment to share how Goodwill combines services with community partners to help people overcome barriers and build a new life.

“We have really committed ourselves to helping people who are in difficult situations really reach the middle class. And so that takes a lot, and we see a lot of people who the general population might not think are capable of that, but we’ve seen that they are if we do a good job of addressing the different barriers that have held them back. So we have combined our services that Goodwill has, with the services of our community partners, and try to bring it all together for easier access and really a community of support to provide answers to those barriers, each one of them, so that we give people a fair chance to build a new life, and we just see really the highest level of motivation that I’ve ever seen in my whole career,” said Luttrell.

You can watch the full 'In Focus Kentucky' segment in the player above.