CA Fires Spotlight Licensing Carriers for Inmates

California’s recent wildfires were fought by over 780 inmate firefighters who received rigorous taxpayer-funded training. But until recent reforms, many of these trained firefighters faced insurmountable barriers to employment after release—state licensing laws blocked them from the very careers they’d prepared for.

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Cato scholar Stephen Slivinski examines this issue in a new Washington Post opinion piece, revealing how occupational licensing laws create employment barriers for 70 million Americans with criminal records. The evidence is clear: employment is one of the strongest predictors of whether someone avoids reoffending, yet licensing boards in many states can deny licenses based on unrelated criminal history or even arrests without conviction.

As states begin reforming these laws, this story offers a compelling angle on criminal justice reform, labor market policy, and public safety.

If you’d like to speak with Slivinski, please reach out to Madison: mmiller@​cato.​org.