IAGA SUMMIT FOCUS: KEYNOTE NEW JERSEY CASINO CONTROL COMMISSION
work hard. In most cases they appreciate the opportunity. Again, there will be some that won’t and they will end up being terminated from their position, but the vast majority will succeed.
Do you see this as becoming a role-model for other jurisdictions, both in the US and internationally?
Yes. For 44 years New Jersey has been the gold standard in gaming around the world. We have had visitors from Aruba, Japan, Virginia, Pennsylvania and many other states and nations looking to emulate our standards. I think that people in the industry know our reputation and understand that if New Jersey can give this opportunity to people in the criminal justice system, I think other states could follow and other countries.
The law singles out drug abuse in regards to the licensing programme, what’s the scale of the issue that you’re seeking to highlight and to some degree address?
In America last year we had over 100,000 overdose deaths. It is still an epidemic. To give you some context, we have over two million people in custody in the Unites States, with 70 per cent of those incarcerated due to substance abuse. Te vast majority due to drugs, some poly-addicted drugs, some alcohol, but the vast majority are drug related. I think the positive is that we are recognising the problem. It is not a stigma to go through Recovery Court and succeed. Tat’s the positive message we are sending and I think everyone in the industry recognises that substance abuse is a national issue, but not it is coming into the sunlight.
What is Recovery Court for our readers outside of the US and what’s involved in the process of qualifying from the system?
We’ve had Drug Court for around 15 years in New Jersey, which has evolved into Recovery Court. You apply to enter the programme which can shorten your sentence or even divert your sentence from being a custodial one. Tere are weekly meeting and you must attend substance abuse classes, in which there are monitors. It can take up to five years to graduate from Recovery Court. Many people fail the programme, but the majority complete it. It is highly intense, but the success rate is also very high.
Do you have an estimate of the kind of numbers you’re expecting to apply and take up the offer to join the gaming industry as a result of the law?
We have one casino here that is talking directly to the Department of Corrections to conduct training with people in custody with people so that when they are released they can immediately apply for a job in the industry. Tere is no question that the layout shortage is opening doors that would have been closed in the past. Part of this is an education programme too, as people historically have been aware that
P42 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
“In America last year we had over 100,000 overdose
deaths. It is still an epidemic.
To give you some context, we have over two million people in custody in the Unites States, with 70 per cent of those
incarcerated due to substance abuse. The vast majority due
to drugs, some poly-addicted drugs, some alcohol, but the
vast majority are drug related. I think the positive is that we
are recognising the problem. It is not a stigma to go through Recovery Court and succeed. That’s the positive message we are sending and I think everyone in the industry
recognises that substance abuse is a nation issue, but not it is coming into the sunlight.”
if you had a past in the criminal justice system that automatically ruled you out of a role in the gaming industry. We are trying to break down that barrier and get that message out.
Does the programme have to prove itself successful over a prolonged period of time before it’s adopted outside of New Jersey, or is this an idea that’s already fully-baked?
At the IAGA Summit I intend to give the delegates direct examples of cases in New Jersey to give people solid facts. I think the industry is prepared to take the risk on someone who might appreciate the job more as it’s a second chance.
One of the examples is a follows:
“Chairman Plousis, we have two individuals, one who works in audio-visual and the second works in security. Both individuals are hard workers and quickly have become valuable members of our team. I am confident that one is about to be promoted as he is doing so well. I also know that we are hiring individuals with past offences all the time. We do not advertise this fact as we consider it a confidential matter. Tese applicants always seem to be more eager and willing to work than some other candidates that have had no priors. We generally believe in second chances. Both for current team members as well as our applicants.” General Manager, Harrahs Resort Atlantic City.
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