The following article, "Reimagining Reentry Employment" was publshed in New Jersey Globe on June 12, 2026 and authored by Kintock CEO Walt Simpkins:

In New Jersey, the reentry process for those who are incarcerated and returning to the community can be very complex. Depending on the individual’s personalized needs, it is not always the easiest to navigate – whether the individual needs to secure housing, find employment, finish education, address mental health issues, tackle substance use/addiction and more.

Organizations like ours at The Kintock Group play a vital role in the reentry process – serving as a one-stop shop for quality, evidence-based reentry programs designed to reduce recidivism, encourage self-sufficiency and prepare individuals to reenter the community as productive members of society. Our reentry programs give individuals guidance and direct access to daily necessities which build a strong, stable foundation for formerly incarcerated individuals as they re-enter their communities and forge new lives.

Stability is always at the forefront of our minds in our work with justice-involved individuals, and we have found that there are two consistent drivers of stability: housing and employment.

Housing makes sense – who doesn’t want a safe place to call “home,” without fear or worry of where you are going to go or what is going to happen next? But, to ensure the individual’s housing placement or rental is not taken away at a moment’s notice, that is where employment creates another crucial layer of stability for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Employment sits at the intersection of a number of important areas of reentry – playing a proven role in reducing recidivism, improving public safety, promoting economic self-sufficiency and addressing many of the collateral challenges individuals face post-incarceration. In fact, according to the New Jersey Department of Corrections, nearly 55 percent of incarcerated individuals who participate in a work-release program – which includes those we run here at Kintock – find employment upon release. This is a staggering statistic – especially when coupled with our current 6 percent recidivism rate for new criminal convictions here in New Jersey, showcasing the true power of rehabilitation and demonstrating structured, evidence-based reentry programs, with an emphasis on employment, truly do work.

When it comes to our highly structured, evidence-based reentry programs at Kintock, we believe employment functions as a gateway to nearly every other marker of successful reintegration, making it such a critical and important part of the reentry process. However, employment is not an easy thing to procure, nor hold onto for justice-involved individuals. These individuals often exit the criminal justice system with significant disadvantages when it comes to employment:

• Limited work history

• Gaps in employment

• Occupational licensing restrictions

• Transportation challenges

• Suspended driver's licenses

• Criminal-record stigma

Kintock serves approximately 1,500+ justice-involved individuals daily – connecting them with effective reentry programming and innovative employment support to ensure favorable outcomes and long-term success. Access to our employment programs and services are guided by a team of nearly 400 highly qualified, professional employees who place great value on building trust, fostering independence and sustained success in each client.

Through our Vantage Point Program specifically, Kintock works to remove all barriers to employment by offering stable, professional support and guidance. As of December 2025, the Vantage Point Program has served more than 2,750 clients across 16 New Jersey counties who are on State Parole, county probation or were recently released from incarceration with no remaining legal obligations – each of them voluntarily enrolling in the program. The outcomes we have experienced speak to the program’s success:

• 2,147 clients have received Employment Readiness Services through the program.

• 1,491 clients received transportation services.

• 784 clients secured employment.

• 638 clients received mobile device support.

• 360 clients received meals and clothing.

• 197 clients enrolled in vocational school with tuition assistance.

• 196 clients received quality health and wellness support.

• 163 clients received assistance procuring an ID.

The success of the Vantage Point Program relies heavily on the partnerships our organization has cultivated and maintained with employers across various sectors throughout the state of New Jersey. One example of the impact and expansion of our partnerships can be seen most clearly in our unique, long-standing relationship with Make USA, LLC in Carteret. What started as a simple employment placement at Make USA has truly blossomed into a steady employment funnel that has greatly benefited both the Make USA team and, more importantly, our clients over the years. We greatly value all of our employment partners, as they help us connect individuals with employment opportunities that spark passions and truly work for them – located as near to their homebase as possible, which alleviates transportation challenges and other barriers to success.

However, the Vantage Point Program is not simply focused on connecting individuals to employers – job placement is just one spoke in the wheel. We take a more holistic approach to employment by offering individuals with a variety of supportive services that further support steady, stable employment placement – including vocational skills training, employment readiness training, education, case management, transportation, IDs and documentation services, substance use/addiction support, mental health services and more, all designed to ensure long-term stability and continued success.

Our Vantage Point Program works, and we are continuing to expand the program’s reach into even more communities throughout New Jersey. In addition to our three Vantage Point office locations in Newark, Paterson and Vineland, we are close to opening a fourth office location Trenton – allowing us to serve even more justice-involved individuals in their quest to secure employment while also expanding our provider network to ensure these individuals have access to quality vocational programs and placement opportunities.

Since we were first established in 1985, Kintock continues fostering independence and long-term, sustained success in individuals transitioning back into the community post-incarceration. We believe stable employment is the primary mechanism through which justice-involved individuals achieve stability on all fronts – from housing and financial independence to family reunification, reduced involvement with the criminal justice system and more. For us, employment is so much more than just a job; it’s the key to ensuring our clients have a real “second chance” at life.

ARTICLE: https://newjerseyglobe.com/section-2/reimagining-reentry-employment/ 

Walter Simpkins is a seasoned law enforcement professional with more than 40 years of experience in corrections, spanning both the public and private sectors, and an extensive knowledge of correctional best practices, corrections management and reentry services. He began his career in New Jersey State Government with the Department of Human Services before moving on to the Department of Corrections. Upon his retirement in 2006 as Corrections Captain, Walt joined The Kintock Group with corporate oversight of the company’s facility operations. He was named Chief Operating Officer of Kintock in 2014 and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer in 2020.