As many as two-thirds of the more than 650,000 ex-offenders released from U.S. prisons and jails each year will be arrested for a new crime within three years, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
A leading cause of recidivism: Ex-cons find it nearly impossible to get a job. With no income and few work options, they return to crime.
A growing number of former inmates are addressing the problem by launching startups, and some — like the four that follow — are creating jobs for other ex-cons.