As the former CEO of the healthcare firm SynerMed, James Mason led a team of 750 employees operating out of the firm’s headquarters in Monterey Park, California. After guiding SynerMed for nearly twenty years, James Mason has shifted his full-time focus to various philanthropic pursuits. He is highly involved in several nonprofits in the Los Angeles area, including Homeboys Industries, a group dedicated to providing training, hope, and support to those who have been incarcerated or involved in gang activity.
Homeboys Industry works to reduce recidivism by providing paid on-the-job training to newly released individuals and offering job opportunities to people with criminal histories.
Secure employment is one of the strongest indicators of successful societal re-entry for recently incarcerated people. However, multiple barriers prevent people who have served time from obtaining and maintaining jobs.
Many employers run background checks on job applicants, and the associated stigma of having a criminal record can result in discrimination. Additionally, after serving several years behind bars, returning citizens may find that they do not have the right skills or qualifications to obtain gainful work. Unemployment and underemployment are both significant contributors to reoffending.
