Prisoners of their past

As a certified nurse’s assistant, Valerie Ford had no trouble finding work with the growing number of nursing homes in North Carolina.

But then she was arrested for cashing a check made out to an ex-boyfriend. Now, free after eight months in prison, she can’t land a steady job.

The 39-year-old mother of two has lost count of the applications filled out in the past year, not only at nursing homes, but also hotels and discount department stores. Read More