Being penalized for an ice hockey infraction serves as metaphor for persons who commit crimes. Depending on the penalties such as hooking, holding, boarding, or unsportsmanlike conduct, hockey players receive minutes off the ice serving time for their bad behavior. Players are allowed back in the game once they fulfill their obligation for infractions. Our criminal justice system should operate in similar fashion — serve your time aka pay your debt to society and get back in the game of life. A reentry effort hopes to alter a system that punishes people, even after they have served time behind bars, On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, Mercer County Executive Dan Benson, the New Jersey Courts, and the Mercer County Reentry Coalition will host a Career and Resource Fair for the Justice Impacted community. Various government agencies, non-profits, and businesses invite Mercer residents to attend the fair and explore the many services and employment opportunities available to justice-involved men and women. Mercer County’s Path Forward program will be featured at the fair. The Mercer Path Forward: Expungement Services developed to address these various reasons for incomplete expungement efforts and to provide complete services that will take an applicant through the entire process to whatever the final, legal status is determined. The County of Mercer is committed to supporting the economic health and employment opportunities of all residents, including those previously incarcerated and/or with criminal records. “Our Path Forward program will reduce barriers for individuals in search of employment, public assistance, education, housing, parental rights, and voting,” said Benson. “These are members of our community who have completed their sentences, and deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives.” Attendees are invited to utilize the Department of Motor Vehicle’s mobile unit for REALID, registration renewal, initial permit, non-driver ID, duplicate/replacement title or registration by reserving a time slot at https://telegov.njportal.com/njmvcmobileunit Bulk, non-perishable food items will be available through Arm In Arm. The Justice-Impacted Career and Resource Fair will be held at CURE Arena from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To register in advance or receive more information, please visit: https://www.mercercounty.org/home/showdocument? L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at [email protected].