Ex-cons seek second start

Stacy J. Willis

Friday, March 17, 2000 | 11:25 a.m.

Donald Lockridge types 60 words per minute, wears a coat and tie and a giant smile, and he wants to work.

He has been job hunting. The soles of his black loafers are worn. His bus map is crinkled. He has filled out applications at the Community College of Southern Nevada, the state of Nevada administrative offices, Imperial Palace, Pizza Hut and a dozen other places.

"But once people see 'convicted of first-degree murder' on my application, it's all downhill from there," Lockridge, 46, said.

Lockridge shot and killed his abusive lover in a "crime of passion" in 1981, served 19 years at the state prison in Indian Springs and was paroled last month.

"I'm a good person who did a bad thing. I did my time, and I have job skills. And I want to turn my life around," he said.

Lockridge was among more than 200 ex-convicts who showed up freshly coiffed and eager to please at the first-ever Ex-Offenders Job Fair at Cashman Convention Center on Thursday.

The event was sponsored by Nevada Business Services and was intended to match worker-hungry employers with the state's unemployed former criminals.

But only a handful of the more than 25 employers who committed to being there showed up. At 10 a.m., the crowd of job-seekers was thick, but the convention room was lined with empty employer tables.

"I'm just so disgusted. I really expected a lot more employers," said Bill Murphy, Nevada Business Services program director, who declined to name the employers who reneged on their promises to attend.

"I had commitments from them, and they aren't here. Here we are in this booming economy, and there are stacks and stacks of jobs. But I really don't know how to convince an employer that we're talking about good employees here, people who are prepared to work."

The event was advertised on local radio stations, and an hour before the doors opened a line of ex-offenders -- men and women of all races, some with kids in tow -- began to form.

"People have a misconception about ex-offenders. We stereotype them and say, 'You did something bad' and so you are a bad person. But these people have paid their debt to society. We want to get them going," Murphy said. "This is good for the community."

Nevada enjoys a low unemployment rate -- mirroring the national rate at about 4 percent; Las Vegas is slightly higher at 4.4 percent.

Some employers, such as The Venetian hotel-casino and Mission Industries, sent lists of job openings and asked Nevada Business Services and the Equal Opportunity Board to refer job-seekers to their offices.

"At least we have that. I consider it successful that many people came appropriately dressed, ready, willing, and able to work. And I consider it successful that employers at least sent job openings, so that these people can walk away with at least a referral."

Not all employers were uneasy about hiring ex-cons.

"I just have one question," a young Hispanic woman who stood at the Southern Nevada Operating Engineers table asked. "Do you hire felons?"

"Oh sure. We don't hold that against anyone," said Wayne Grimes, Operating Engineers coordinator.

She smiled when he shook her hand and handed her the brochure that explains more than a dozen apprenticeship programs -- jobs that pay as much as $16 an hour.

"We committed to come down here for this job fair because there are really a lot of jobs out there and for us, it's just a matter of getting people to come down and apply," Grimes said.

In order to qualify for any of the engineer programs -- from carpentry to plumbing -- candidates must pass a sixth grade aptitude test, among other requirements.

"We put 50 apprentices to work every six months," Grimes said. Robert Moreno, 22, stood in line to get a referral to one of hundreds of jobs offered by absent employers. In 1996, Moreno was convicted of robbery and served four months.

Although he is employed at a local Buick dealership parking cars, he's ready to make an upward career move.

"Maybe an office worker would be a good position. Or an apprenticeship program," he said. "Nevada Business Services is very helpful. This is a big help."

The line to the Circus Circus employment table wrapped around the room.

"This is a very aggressive hiring time -- summer is our busy season," said Kevin Hawkins, Circus Circus employment manager. "I am surprised at this turnout here though. I was not expecting it to be as large as it is. This is a very enthusiastic group of people. Very eager...

"You have to consider all applicants, no matter what their background, as long as they are qualified for the position," Hawkins said.

But Hawkins stopped shy of saying whether a felony conviction -- instead of a misdemeanor -- would affect an employee's chances of getting a job.

"I can't comment on that," he said. "But just being an offender isn't a problem, otherwise I wouldn't be here wasting my time and theirs."

The ex-offenders' offenses ranged from drug possession and DUI to assault and murder.

For some, such as Lockridge, employment is a condition of continued parole.

"I'm afraid. I don't want to go back to prison. I like being out," he said. "But I've got to get work to pay my rent and stay out of trouble."

Stacey J. Willis is a reporter for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-4011 or by e-mail at willis@lasvegassun.com

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