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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for ex-offender employment
90 results foundAuthor: McCormick, Jim Title: Learning in Custody: Report of the Offender Learning in Custody Workstream Summary: Offender Learning was established in Scotland following a commitment in the Skills Strategy. This workstream study focused on men and women aged 18 and over currently held in Scotland's prisons. The review of the program provides an opportunity to see where reform in needed in order to provide the skills necessary for offenders to find employment upon release from custody. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Government, 2009. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2010 at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/297466/0092538.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/297466/0092538.pdf Shelf Number: 117749 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsEducation, Inmates (Scotland)Ex-Offender EmploymentPrisoners |
Author: Rodriguez, Michelle Natividad Title: 65 Million Need Not Apply: The Case for Reforming Criminal Background Checks for Employment Summary: In recent years, the criminal background check industry has grown exponentially. Particularly in the wake of 9/11, the ready availability of inexpensive commercial background checks has made them a popular employee screening tool. In one survey, more than 90 percent of companies reported using criminal background checks for their hiring decisions. At the same time that the background check industry has expanded, the share of the U.S. population with criminal records has soared to over one in four adults. In the right situations, criminal background checks promote safety and security at the workplace. However, imposing a background check that denies any type of employment for people with criminal records is not only unreasonable, but it can also be illegal under civil rights laws. Employers that adopt these and other blanket exclusions fail to take into account critical information, including the nature of an offense, the age of the offense, or even its relationship to the job. Yet, as this report documents, based on a survey of online job ads posted on Craigslist, major companies as well as smaller employers routinely deny people with criminal records any opportunity to establish their job qualifications. For any number of entry-level jobs, ranging from warehouse workers to delivery drivers to sales clerks, employers and staffing agencies post these and other job ads that unambiguously close the doors on applicants with criminal records. Across the nation there is a consistent theme: people with criminal records “need not apply” for available jobs. Combine today’s tight job market, the upsurge in background checks, and the growing number of people with criminal records, and the results are untenable. In the end, workers are not the only ones who suffer. Employers are also disadvantaged as blanket hiring restrictions undermine the integrity of criminal background checks and artificially limit the employers’ pool of qualified candidates. While this report explores the exclusion of people with criminal records from work, which severely impacts communities of color, it also reveals a promising shift in policy and practice. Indeed, this is an opportune moment to capitalize on a recent wave of impact litigation and model state and local reforms to develop fairer and more accurate criminal background checks for employment. Details: New York: National Employment Law Project, 2011. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2011 at: http://www.nelp.org/page/-/65_Million_Need_Not_Apply.pdf?nocdn=1 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.nelp.org/page/-/65_Million_Need_Not_Apply.pdf?nocdn=1 Shelf Number: 121375 Keywords: Criminal Background ChecksEx-Offender Employment |
Author: Blumstein, Alfred Title: Extension of Current Estimates of Redemption Times: Robustness Testing, Out-of-State Arrests, and Racial Differences Summary: As information technology has increased the accessibility of criminal-history records, and concern for negligent-hiring lawsuits has grown, criminal background checking has become an important part of the hiring process for most employers. As a result, there is a growing concern that a large number of individuals are handicapped in finding employment because of a stale criminal-history record. The current study is an extension of a NIJ-funded project intended to provide the empirical estimates of what we call “redemption time,” the time when an individual with a prior arrest record has stayed clean of further involvement with the criminal justice system sufficiently long to be considered “redeemed” and relieved of the stale burden of a prior criminal-history record. In the current study, we address new issues that that are important in moving the research on redemption forward and making the findings applicable to relevant policy. In the first section, we introduce the background of this project by discussing the increasing use of criminal background checks by employers, the potential size of population with criminal records that such background checking can affect, and our initial research on redemption that empirically examines when a criminal record loses its relevance in predicting future crime (“redemption times”). In the second section, we explore the issue of robustness of redemption time estimates. In our previous project, we generated our estimates of redemption times using rap sheets from New York State of individuals first arrested in 1980. Using additional data from 1985 and 1990 sampling years in New York as well as data from two additional states, Florida and Illinois, we test the sensitivity of the 1980 New York results to these alternative data. The results show that the redemption time estimates are reasonably robust across sampling years and states, and the range of estimates is presented to summarize the results. In the third section, we examine the relationship between the crime type of the first crime event and the crime type of a possible second arrest. This recognizes that employers are concerned mostly about particular types of offense that their employees may commit, based on the nature of the job position. We estimate the recidivism risk and redemption time of particular second-offense types, focusing particularly on violent and property crimes, often an employer’s primary concern, based on the prior offense type and age at the prior. We find that the prior crime type is associated with the recidivism crime type and thus redemption time, especially for violence, and the association is more prominent for older offenders. We also find that that association diminishes as time since the prior increases. In the fourth section, we address the relationship between race and longer-term recidivism risk, which is relevant to the concern of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that criminal background checks have a disparate impact on minorities. The results show that 1) the racial rearrest-risk ratio is smaller than the arrest-prevalence ratio, and 2) the rearrest-risk ratio declines over time, so that the recidivism risk of blacks approaches the risk of whites over time. In the last two sections, we conclude this report by summarizing our findings, discuss future work, and describe our outreach efforts to disseminate our findings on this important public policy issue to stakeholders. Details: Final Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2012. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/240100.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/240100.pdf Shelf Number: 127552 Keywords: Criminal Background InvestigationsCriminal HistoriesEx-Offender EmploymentOffender Rehabilitation |
Author: Dunham, Kate Title: The Effort to Implement the Youth Offender Demonstration Project (YODP) Impact Evaluation: Lessons and Implications for Future Research Summary: In the summer of 2005, the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOL ETA) issued a request for proposals (RFP) to conduct an Impact Study of the Youth Offender Demonstration Program (YODP). The YODP evaluation team selected by DOL was comprised of Social Policy Research Associates (SPR), MDRC, Decision Information Resources (DIR), and Johns Hopkins University. As detailed in the RFP, the intended study was a random assignment evaluation to address a number of important questions about how to work most effectively with youth offenders to prevent recidivism and increase their employment and earnings. To try to answer these questions, the study would have had courts in six different jurisdictions agree to use random assignment methodology to assign youth to a control group in which they received only standard incarceration or assign youth to one of two study groups as follows: study group 1, in which youth were incarcerated but received aftercare services from a YODP grantee, or study group 2, in which youth received services from a YODP grantee in lieu of being incarcerated. To implement the random assignment study required that the courts allow the random assignment process to determine which youth would be incarcerated and which would be assigned to a YODP grantee (essentially to be set free), instead of relying on the judge’s discretion. A similar study took place in the Wayne County Juvenile Court in Detroit, Michigan in the mid 1980s. This study randomly assigned more than 500 youths to either a control group in which youth were assigned to state incarceration or to a study group in which youth received intensive supervision as an alternative to incarceration. This study was only successfully implemented due to a set of very specific circumstances (described in detail below) that did not exist within the six YODP sites. Despite the evaluation team’s best efforts, the evaluation team was unable to convince the courts and YODP programs in any of the six selected jurisdictions to accept the random assignment methodology. As a result, DOL opted not to proceed with the evaluation. This paper describes the evaluation team’s efforts in persuading sites to implement the random assignment design, discusses the range of reasons why these efforts were unsuccessful, and explores what lessons can be drawn from this experience and other studies that have employed random assignment to aid the implementation of future random assignment evaluations. The paper begins with an overview of the six YODP grantees selected by DOL to participate in the evaluation and of the random assignment evaluation plan as outlined in the evaluation team’s proposal. Next, the paper describes the various challenges encountered by the evaluation team in implementing the original random assignment design. Following this, the paper summarizes a number of other studies that have successfully implemented random assignment and draw comparisons and contrasts of these studies to the intended design in the YODP evaluation. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of lessons learned from this effort and several recommendations that may assist DOL in implementing future random assignment evaluations. Details: Oakland, CA: Social Policy Research Associates, 2008. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2013 at: http://www.nawdp.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ResearchReports/2009-5-TheEfforttoImplementtheYouthOffendeDemonstrat.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.nawdp.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ResearchReports/2009-5-TheEfforttoImplementtheYouthOffendeDemonstrat.pdf Shelf Number: 127649 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationEmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentIntensive SupervisionRecidivismTreatment ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders (U.S.) |
Author: Jacobs, Erin Title: Returning to Work After Prison: Final Results from the Transitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration Summary: More than 1.6 million people are incarcerated in prisons in the United States, and around 700,000 are released from prison each year. Those released from prison often face daunting obstacles as they seek to reintegrate into their communities, and rates of recidivism are high. Many experts believe that stable employment is critical to a successful transition from prison to the community. The Joyce Foundation’s Transitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration (TJRD), also funded by the JEHT Foundation and the U.S. Department of Labor, tested employment programs for former prisoners in Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and St. Paul, using a rigorous random assignment design. MDRC led the evaluation, along with the Urban Institute and the University of Michigan. The project focused on transitional jobs programs that provide temporary subsidized jobs, support services, and job placement help. Transitional jobs are seen as a promising model for former prisoners and for other disadvantaged groups. In 2007-2008, more than 1,800 men who had recently been released from prison were assigned, at random, to a transitional jobs program or to a program providing basic job search assistance but no subsidized jobs. The research team tracked both groups using state data on employment and recidivism. Because of the random assignment design, one can be confident that significant differences that emerged between the groups are attributable to the services each group received. This is the final report in the TJRD project. It assesses how the transitional jobs programs affected employment and recidivism during the two years after people entered the study. Key Findings •The transitional jobs programs substantially increased employment early in the study period by providing jobs to many who would not otherwise have worked. However, the gains faded as men left the transitional jobs, and the programs did not increase regular (unsubsidized) employment either during or after the program period. At the end of the second year, only about one-fifth of each group were employed in the formal labor market. Earnings impacts may have been somewhat larger when economic conditions were relatively poor and members of the job search group had more difficulty finding jobs. •The transitional jobs programs did not significantly affect key measures of recidivism over the two-year follow-up period. About half each group were arrested, and a similar number returned to prison. Most of the prison admissions were for violations of parole rules, not new crimes. Overall, these results point to the need to develop and test enhancements to the transitional jobs model. For example, future tests could include enhancements such as extending the period of the transitional job, including vocational training as a core program component, or focusing more on the transition to regular employment by offering stronger financial incentives for participants. (Findings from the TJRD evaluation suggest that these financial incentives may improve earnings impacts.) Researchers and practitioners should also test other strategies to improve employment and recidivism outcomes for reentering prisoners. Details: New York: MDRC, 2012. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 27, 2013 at: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_626.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/full_626.pdf Shelf Number: 127730 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentPrisoner ReentryTransitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration |
Author: Montgomery County (Ohio). Ex-Offender Reentry Employment Work Group. FCFC Economic Self-Sufficiency Outcome Team Title: Ex-Offender Reentry Employment Final Report: October 2007 Summary: “Reentry,” as defined by the Urban Institute Justice Policy Center, “is the process of leaving the prison system and returning to society.” Fashioning a reentry strategy for Montgomery County will require our community to develop a comprehensive, collaborative, and holistic approach that couples services, supports and structure with systemic change—including advocating for the state legislature to eliminate collateral sanctions which are barriers to employment. After spending an average of 2.3 years in prison, sixteen hundred (1,600) inmates will be released from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) and return to Montgomery County during 2007. Prior to release from prison, many inmates are not prepared for the challenges and barriers they will encounter while trying to become productive taxpaying citizens. Research has shown that ex-offenders who return with little or no family and community support, no income, poor job skills, untreated alcohol or drug abuse problems, and no stable place to live, are much more likely to re-offend and return to prison within three years of their release. Although employment is a key component to successful reentry, it is not a stand alone strategy that will reduce recidivism. The concept of providing a continuum of services and support to help ex-offenders return from prison and successfully re-establish themselves in their communities is becoming an important priority for a growing number of cities and counties in the U.S. Montgomery County will spend approximately $110M, which is 69% of its General Fund budget—up from 56% in 2000—on Criminal Justice services during 2007. Three thousand and fifty (3,050) Montgomery County residents are currently incarcerated in Ohio prisons—with fifty percent (50%) returning without supervision from the Adult Parole Authority. Sixty percent (60%) of Montgomery County residents committed to ODRC serve one year or less. In 2006, thirty-one percent (31%) of ODRC facilities were overcrowded. Due to overcrowding and the short lengths of stay, many ex-offenders do not receive the necessary rehabilitation services, (i.e., mental health, drug and/or alcohol treatment, literacy and GED education, job training or job readiness skills) while incarcerated. Thus, most will return to the community with the same employment barriers that they had prior to incarceration. The demographic profile of individuals from Montgomery County committed to and returning from ODRC is both instructive and compelling. Most (87%) of those returning are men. Fifty-four percent (54%) are African-American; forty-six percent (46%) are White. Eighty-nine percent (89%) are single, divorced or separated. Forty-two percent (42%) have less than a high school diploma. Seventy-five percent (75%) reported abusing drugs, and forty percent (40%) reported abusing alcohol during the six months prior to their incarceration. Seventy-four percent (74%) had one or more prior felony convictions before being sent to prison. The rate of recidivism for Montgomery County (44.4%) exceeds both the Ohio rate (39%) and the rates of all of the other five large urban counties in Ohio. The recidivism rate is not without great financial cost—$24,586 to incarcerate one inmate per year—underwritten by the taxpayers of Ohio. Being concerned about the ex-offender’s successful transition from prisoner to contributing, tax paying citizen is in everyone’s self-interest. Considering the negative impact that unsuccessful reentry has on individuals, families, neighborhoods, communities, public safety, state and local government budgets, and the local economy, the Ex-Offender Reentry Employment Work Group believes that the time for action is now. In November 2006, the Family and Children First Council’s Economic Self Sufficiency Outcome Team established the Ex-Offender Reentry Employment Work Group as a subcommittee of their Outcome Team. The Ex-offender Reentry Employment Work Group was given the following charge: • Research and assess the current status of formerly incarcerated individuals reentering Montgomery County; • Conduct analysis of local programs, services and available resources; • Identify barriers to employment and economic self-sufficiency; • Identify and review effective local and national programs and “best practice” models that have overcome barriers and led to stable employment; and, • Recommend to the Family and Children First Council funding, program development and system change that will create increased employability and self sufficiency for ex-offenders returning to the community. Details: Dayton, OH: Montgomery County Ex-Offender Reentry Employment Work Group, 2007. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.mcohio.org/docs/ExoffenderReentry_1.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.mcohio.org/docs/ExoffenderReentry_1.pdf Shelf Number: 127997 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentPrisoner Reentry (Ohio, U.S.) |
Author: McNeil Education, Training and Research Title: Process Evaluation of the Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (Phase II): Final Report Summary: The Welfare-to-Work Partnership (The Partnership), later known as Business Interface, Inc. (BI), was awarded funding by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL/ETA) in January 2003 to conduct a Demand-Side Youth Offender Demonstration Project (DSYODP). Under this grant, The Partnership served as an intermediary in connecting employers in four sites with young ex-offenders and youth at-risk of court involvement between the ages of 18 and 25. The DSYODP initiative built on the experience of The Partnership in serving welfare recipients under a DOL grant for the Welfare-to-Work program. The DSYODP initiative also built on the experience of DOL/ETA through three rounds of the Youth Offender Demonstration Project (YODP), which began in 1999. The goals of the YODP were to assist youth at-risk of court or gang involvement, youth offenders, and gang members ages 14-24 to find long-term employment at wage levels that would prevent future dependency and would break the cycle of crime and juvenile delinquency. McNeil Education, Training and Research (McNeil ETR) worked with DOL/ETA to conduct evaluations of both YODP and DSYODP Phases I and II. Phase II of DSYODP began in July 2005 when it received a Task Order contract from DOL/ETA to conduct a process evaluation of the demonstration project in four cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine: (1) the efficacy of the business intermediary model implemented by the grantee; and (2) the impact of the services delivered on the employment, earnings and retention of youth ex-offenders and youth at-risk of court or gang involvement. Further, DOL/ETA expects that the evaluation will also “determine lessons from the implementation and operation of the DSYODP Phase II which can be shared with other communities wishing to replicate the business intermediary approach to serve ex-offenders and at-risk youth.” Details: Chapel Hill, NC: McNeil Education, Training and Research, 2008. 189p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Process%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20Demand-Side%20Youth%20Offender%20Demonstration%20Project%20Phase%20II%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Process%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20Demand-Side%20Youth%20Offender%20Demonstration%20Project%20Phase%20II%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128075 Keywords: At-Risk Youth (U.S.)Delinquency PreventionEmployment Training ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentJuvenile OffendersYoung Adult OffendersYouth Employment |
Author: Texas. Legislative Budget Board Title: Windham School District Evaluation Summary: During the Seventy-ninth Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, the enactment of House Bill 2837 added Education Code, §19.0041, and mandated the evaluation of training services provided by the Windham School District (WSD) to offenders housed in Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) facilities. Specifically, this evaluation is to address the type of training services provided, the type of employment obtained upon release, whether employment is related to training received, the difference between earnings on the initial date of employment and on the first anniversary of that date, and employment retention factors. Pursuant to Education Code, §19.0041, WSD is to consult with the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) regarding the evaluation and analysis of the training services, and the LBB is to report the findings to the Legislature. Attachment A contains the most recent full report prepared by WSD, dated November 2012, with findings for offenders released from prison or state jail between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2010. This is the seventh annual report submitted to the legislature under this directive. WSD collaborated with TDCJ and the Texas Workforce Commission to collect and report data pertaining to this evaluation. When appropriate, comparisons are established between this and previous reports. Methodological changes across the reports limit comparability in some instances. Details: Austin, TX: Texas Legislative Budget Board, 2013. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Public_Safety_Criminal_Justice/Windham/Windham%20School%20District%20Evaluation%20Reports2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Public_Safety_Criminal_Justice/Windham/Windham%20School%20District%20Evaluation%20Reports2013.pdf Shelf Number: 128173 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentRehabilitation ProgramsVocational Education and Training (Texas, U.S.) |
Author: Pawasarat, John Title: Wisconsin’s Mass Incarceration of African American Males: Workforce Challenges for 2013 Summary: Among the most critical workforce issues facing Wisconsin are governmental policies and practices leading to mass incarceration of African Americans men and suspensions of driving privileges to low-income adults. The prison population in Wisconsin has more than tripled since 1990, fueled by increased government funding for drug enforcement (rather than treatment) and prison construction, three-strike rules, mandatory minimum sentence laws, truth-in-sentencing replacing judicial discretion in setting punishments, concentrated policing in minority communities, and state incarceration for minor probation and supervision violations. Particularly impacted were African American males, with the 2010 U.S. Census showing Wisconsin having the highest black male incarceration rate in the nation. In Milwaukee County over half of African American men in their 30s have served time in state prison. This report uses two decades of state Department of Corrections (DOC) and Department of Transportation (DOT) files to assess employment and training barriers facing African American men with a history of DOC offenses and DOT violations. The report focuses on 26,222 African American males from Milwaukee County incarcerated in state correctional facilities from 1990 to 2012 (including a third with only non-violent crimes) and another 27,874 men with DOT violations preventing them from legally driving (many for failures to pay fines and civil forfeitures). Prison time is the most serious barrier to employment, making ex-offender populations the most difficult to place and sustain in full-time employment. When DOT driver’s licensing history is also considered, transportation barriers make successful labor force attachment even less likely. Yet, most of the recent state policy discussions about preparing the Wisconsin workforce and debates over redistribution of government job training dollars have largely ignored African American men and relegated ex-offender populations to a minor (if not invisible) place in Wisconsin’s labor force. • This paper quantifies Milwaukee County African American male populations in need of increased workforce policy attention and program support. • Proposed changes in state policies and legislation have been brought forward by religious groups, the Milwaukee County District Attorney, The Sentencing Project, and others to reduce Wisconsin’s levels of incarceration. They deserve serious consideration. • Programs to address reentry and workforce needs are currently operated by the Department of Corrections and non-profit organizations but serve only a small portion of those in need. These should be expanded and tested for their effectiveness. • Recognizing that there is no quick fix for ex-offender populations, the cost savings from reductions in the prison population should be used to fund employment and training programs for those in and out of corrections and to support programs to assist those without driver’s licenses, an essential employment credential. • The Windows to Work, a joint effort between the DOC and workforce investment boards, should be expanded. If successful, these efforts will save the state money, help ensure public safety, and reduce recidivism. Details: Milwaukee: Employment and Training Institute, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2013. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2013 at: http://www4.uwm.edu/eti/2013/BlackImprisonment.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www4.uwm.edu/eti/2013/BlackImprisonment.pdf Shelf Number: 128680 Keywords: African AmericansEx-Offender EmploymentInmatesPrisoner ReentryPrisoners (Wisconsin, U.S.)Vocational Education and Training |
Author: Duwe, Grant Title: The Effects of Minnesota Prison-Based Educational Programming on Recidivism and Employment Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of prison-based educational programming by examining the effects of obtaining secondary and post-secondary degrees on recidivism and post-release employment outcomes among offenders released from Minnesota prisons between 2007 and 2008. Obtaining a secondary degree in prison significantly increased the odds of securing post-release employment by 59 percent but did not have a significant effect on recidivism or other employment measures such as hourly wage, total hours worked, and total wages earned. Earning a post-secondary degree in prison, however, was associated with greater number of hours worked, higher overall wages, and less recidivism. Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2013 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/MNDOCEducationalProgrammingEvaluation_Final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/MNDOCEducationalProgrammingEvaluation_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 128880 Keywords: Educational ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentPrison ProgramsPrisoners (Minnesota, U.S.)RecidivismVocational Training and Education |
Author: Canton, Rob Title: Outside Chances: Offender Learning in the Community: Final Report Summary: Offenders have fewer educational and employment skills than the general population and fewer opportunities to access the services they need. Since education and qualifications help people to gain employment, and since employment is often central to desistance from crime, enhancement of services could contribute significantly to a reduction in reoffending. To understand how services are provided at the moment and how they are experienced by the users themselves, the City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development commissioned De Montfort University to interview offenders and to collate and interpret their experiences and their opinions. Research approach De Montfort interviewed 127 service users in four Probation Trust Areas. More than 30 professionals were also interviewed in a range of different roles, including offender managers in the probation service, and education providers/tutors. While interview schedules were used to ensure that the necessary areas of inquiry were covered systematically, interviewers encouraged participants to express their own views about what mattered to them – foregrounding the user voice – and a great deal of rich data were gathered. There has been quite a lot of research about learning opportunities in prison, but much less is known about provision in the community. The needs profile of offenders subject to community orders is likely to be very similar to that of prisoners, but the context of provision is very different, as are the accessibility and quality of learning as perceived by service users, and the incentives and barriers to participation. Key findings Offenders involved in learning have an enormous diversity of experience, aspirations and motives. For example, some were unable to read or write; others were educated to degree level. This needs to be taken into account by those undertaking assessment, as well as by those designing and delivering the programmes. A very common experience is under-achievement at school, for many and often inter-related reasons, and a subsequent disaffection from education which leaves offenders anxious and apprehensive about learning. Busy offender managers may fail to recognise doubts – for instance a reluctance to participate in educational programmes or even to acknowledge their needs – and therefore give priority to more obviously criminogenic factors in planning their work with offenders. Almost all respondents were subject to a community order. There seems rarely to have been a specific requirement to participate in education. The majority were attending education either as part of their supervision or on unpaid work. The experience of unpaid workers is mixed: many take it up to work off their hours more quickly or as what they perceive to be an easier option. While some may then participate enthusiastically, many do not and struggle to engage with the learning experience. There are different models of provision. Systems and procedures for the assessment of offenders and the delivery of education and learning vary considerably between Trust areas. Whilst there is scope for improvement in some places, there is considerable innovation and commitment to offender education across the areas. This research points to strengths and drawbacks of various arrangements, with some aspects of ‘best practice’ identified, but overall finds no one model to be superior to another. Assessment is variable. Despite the professionals’ insistence that assessment instruments were efficiently and routinely deployed, many offenders do not recall processes of assessment (which is not to say that they did not take place) and some say that they had to raise the matter of learning themselves. Although qualification and employment are often mentioned by offenders, there is a wide range of other motives to participate in education, including the value of learning for its own sake, intellectual stimulation, personal fulfilment and a wish to contribute to the learning of their own children. These are all worthy motives and should be valued for their own sake, as well as for the contribution that they are likely to make to the living of a ‘good life’ with which desistance is typically associated. Some offenders and offender managers explain that service users cannot usefully participate in education until they have addressed other challenges in their lives – for example, drug misuse and other criminogenic factors. Other professionals, on the other hand, and some service users say that learning has helped them to deal with those very problems, by giving them purpose, improving their skills of personal organisation and increasing their confidence. Even where it has been decided that an individual is not in a position to benefit from education for the time being, this should be reviewed periodically and not be forgotten. Providers typically offer encouragement, enthusiasm, patience and considerable educational skill. Even offenders who were relatively unimpressed with the programmes themselves tended to speak very highly of the tutors with whom they worked, whether probation employees, partners – mainly from Further Education colleges – or others. As well as supporting educational attendance, especially where this is voluntary, the quality of engagement with tutors seems likely to contribute to the general experience of probation and enhance compliance. This is another way in which educational provision might support reduced reoffending. Where employment is a principal motivation, in many cases offenders express disappointment that much available provision is too basic and offers no very clear pathway to work. A common criticism was that programmes were too elementary and there were insufficient opportunities to progress, at least through probation provision. Many offenders felt that there was very little choice available. Where learning programmes were individualised, this is valued and enables people to develop – both those at higher/faster levels and those who need more basic support and input. Motivation and attitude seem much the most important factors in determining participation. Crucially, the reasons for continuing in education may not be the same as those that led to participation in the first place. Offender managers may need to develop their skills in initial motivation. Once offenders have begun learning, their achievements often bring their own reward and reinforcement and tutors contribute invaluably in this process. There are practical constraints to educational participation. Probation and its partners are generally creative and supportive in overcoming many practical difficulties around times and location for educational provision. On the other hand, fear, lack of confidence, pessimism about employment prospects and a lack of funding to develop education beyond that provided by probation can further undermine the commitment of even the most motivated offenders. Many professionals are anxious about economic uncertainties. There is a worry that high unemployment will further prejudice the position of a profoundly disadvantaged client group. There is also great concern about the funding of future provision. Many professionals are worried that their projects may not be able to continue, despite their meeting of the targets set for them and the demonstrable value of the work. Several professionals said that much time was spent trying to find funding which might better be spent on developing the quality of offender learning. Generally the most appreciated programmes were characterised by: ● the personal qualities of the tutors ● a positive learning environment ● the active and continuing interest of the offender manager ● the provision of learning on familiar and accessible premises ● the opportunity to follow individualised learning programmes at the person’s level and pace ● connections between the learning and other concerns and interests in the service user’s life ● the intrinsic interest of the materials ● some opportunities for peer support in learning. Since educational programmes have several objectives and can bring many gains, different criteria and methods must be used to evaluate their effects. This challenges the idea of ‘payment by results’. No research findings have been able to establish a clear causal association between participation in education and reduced reoffending (with or without the intervening influence of employment), but the role of learning as one aspect of desistance, its value as a precondition of social inclusion and its indirect effects on self-esteem, confidence, problemsolving and personal relationships make it one of the most important services accessible through a community order. Details: City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development; De Montfort University: Community and Criminal Justice, 2011. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2013 at: http://www.skillsdevelopment.org/PDF/Outside%20Chances%20full%20report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.skillsdevelopment.org/PDF/Outside%20Chances%20full%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 129022 Keywords: Educational ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentOffender Rehabilitation (U.K.) |
Author: Goodwill Industries International Title: Working beyond Conviction: Goodwill Industries’ Call to Action to Ensure Successful Re-Entry for Ex-Offenders Summary: As of mid year 2007, more than 2.3 million people were incarcerated in federal and state prisons, and local jails, and the U.S. Department of Justice has concluded that nearly every person incarcerated in jail, and 95 percent of state prison inmates, will someday be released. Yet ex-offenders are often released from prison without a transition plan and little more than the clothes on their back, a bus ticket home and a mandate to report to the local parole office the next business day. As the nation’s largest provider of job-training services, Goodwill Industries is uniquely positioned to be a leader in the successful reintegration of ex-offenders and former prisoners into mainstream society. A number of Goodwill agencies already run a variety of programs that are designed to help ex-offenders and former prisoners find and keep jobs, and provide help for housing, substance abuse, and health and mental health issues. Details: Raleigh, NC: Goodwill Industries International, 2009. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2013 at: http://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/06-15-09-Road-to-Re-Integration.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/06-15-09-Road-to-Re-Integration.pdf Shelf Number: 129344 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentPrisoner Reentry |
Author: Illinois Task Force on Inventorying Employment Restrictions Act Title: Inventorying Employment Restrictions Task Force Final Report Summary: The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority is pleased to announce publication of the Final Report of the Task Force on Inventorying Employment Restrictions. Illinois Public Act 96-0593 (20 ILCS 5000) created this Task Force within the Authority, and provides that the Task Force review statutes, administrative rules, policies, and practices that restrict employment of persons with criminal history and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by July 1, 2013. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2013. 438p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2013 at: http://www.icjia.org/public/pdf/ResearchReports/IERTF%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.org/public/pdf/ResearchReports/IERTF%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 129547 Keywords: Criminal RecordsEx-Offender Employment |
Author: Abramsky, Sasha Title: A Second Chance: Charting a New Course for Re-Entry and Criminal Justice Reform Summary: "A Second Chance" examines the impact of four barriers that make re-entry more difficult and recidivism more likely - predatory prison phone rates; inadequate access to education; restrictions on employment; and restrictions on voting. The report discusses the consequences of these practices and makes a series of policy recommendations regarding their reform. Details: Washington, DC: Leadership Conference Education Fund, 2013. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2013 at: http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/reports/A_Second_Chance_Re-Entry_Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/reports/A_Second_Chance_Re-Entry_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 131680 Keywords: Criminal Justice ReformEx-Offender EmploymentFelony DisenfranchisementPrisoner ReentryPrisoners (U.S.)Vocational Education and Training |
Author: Decker, Scott H. Title: Criminal Stigma, Race, Gender, and Employment: An Expanded Assessment of the Consequences of Imprisonment for Employment Summary: Employment is a key feature of American life. Not only does it provide the instrumental benefits associated with an income, but it also serves to structure life, create social relations, and provide fulfillment. But work has an additional important benefit - it reduces involvement in crime. This consequence makes it important that individuals leaving prison find work. For a variety of reasons, however, this group finds it difficult to secure employment. The ability to find work is not equally distributed across race and ethnic groups; blacks and Hispanics experience more difficulty in gaining employment than do whites. Further complicating the problem is the fact that these two minority groups comprise the largest and fastest growing segment of the prison population. A number of studies have examined the impact of a prison sentence on employment. This work consistently finds that individuals with a prison record fare worse on the job market. However, this finding is conditioned by race and ethnicity, with whites bearing far less stigma from a prior prison sentence than blacks or Hispanics (Pager, 2003). The majority of this research has been conducted with men, comparing blacks and whites, and been completed in Midwestern or eastern cities. This leaves a substantial gap in our understanding of the role of race/ethnicity and prison record on employment chances. Women are a measureable and growing segment of the prison population in the US and their employment prospects are important to understand given their role in families. Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of the US prison population and the number of incarcerated Hispanics is growing rapidly. Further, the southwest is the fastest growing region of the country, with different dynamics, including the border with Mexico, as well as an economy not structured around industrial production. In addition to these substantive reasons to expand our understanding of the role of a prison record and race/ethnicity in employment, there are methodological reasons to expand the study of these relationships. The job market itself is dynamic and the majority of entry-level jobs are advertised online and require the submission of online applications, which may include resumes. To address these concerns, we completed a three-year study of the impact of a prison record on gaining employment. We included two separate experiments and an employer survey in our research. The first involved the submission of more than 6,000 online applications for entry-level jobs. The second experiment sent individuals (auditors) to apply for 60 jobs in-person. This allows us to compare the results of two different methods of job applications. The third research method was a survey conducted among 49 employers, all of whom were included in the second experiment. For each of the first two experiments, we had six different pairs of job applicants, comprised of black men, black women, Hispanic men, Hispanic women, white men and white women. One member of each pair had a prison record included on their resumes.In every other respect, the resumes. were identical. Race/ethnicity was cued through the use of first and last names on the resumes. sent to employers. In each case, a binary dependent variable was used, whether the individual was offered an opportunity to talk further with the employer in the case of the online applications, in the case of the in-person applications, the outcome measure was whether they were called back to interview or offered a job. Consistent with prior research, we find differences by race/ethnicity, with blacks and Hispanics generally faring more poorly than whites. The differences for the online application process were not as large as for the in-person process, but, nonetheless, we did find that a prison record has a dampening effect on job prospects, particularly in the low-skill food service sector, where ex-prisoners are likely to seek employment during reentry. The employer survey revealed strong effects for criminal justice involvement, with employers expressing preferences for hiring individuals with no prior criminal justice contact. Employers associated prior prison time with a number of negative work-related characteristics including tardiness and inability to get along with co-workers. We conclude this report with a number of policy recommendations regarding the job preparation, application, and interview process. In particular, we highlight the importance of preparing individuals in prison for the online world of job applications and resumes. creation. This, like other aspects of the reentry process, should be done as early as is feasible, but certainly before release from prison. It is also important that former prisoners expand their network of contacts to increase their awareness of jobs and the process associated with applying for those jobs. We believe it is important for job applicants with a prison record to be prepared for a good deal of failure, as fewer than ten percent of our testers received a callback. Former prisoners are more likely to gain employment if they are judged on the merits of their qualifications, excluding their prior imprisonment. For this reason we believe that efforts to remove - prior arrest or conviction - from initial job applications should be supported. Details: Phoenix, AZ: Arizona State University, 2014. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/244756.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/244756.pdf Shelf Number: 131913 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentPrisoner ReentryRace/EthnicityRacial Disparities |
Author: Raphael, Steven Title: The New Scarlet Letter? Negotiating the U.S. Labor Market with a Criminal Record Summary: The numbers are eye-opening. In 2007, on any given day, 2.2 percent of all males in the United States were incarcerated, including 7.9 percent of all black males. Some 2.6 percent of white males , 7.7 percent of Hispanic males, and 16.6 percent of black males have spent time in state or federal prison at some point in their lives. And for a male child born in 2001, the likelihood of going to prison is 5.9 percent for whites, 17.2 percent for Hispanics, and a whopping 32.2 percent for blacks. Of those who spend time in prison, the overwhelming majority will be released back into society, thereby becoming potential participants in the U.S. labor market. But the barriers they confront as they try to gain employment are substantial: they face the lack of public assistance, poor employment prospects, the reluctance of employers to hire ex-convicts because of liability issues, and the stigma associated with being an ex-convict. This has policymakers focused on ways to facilitate reentry into the labor market for this growing population. Steven Raphael provides a concise overview of this issue. First, he studies the factors that influence the market's supply and demand sides. Next, he presents an empirical portrait of the inmate population, recently released inmates, and the youth who eventually enter the prison system as young adults. Raphael reviews what is known about how employers use criminal histories in screening job applicants and the empirical research on the effects of a criminal record on labor market outcomes; he then describes programs designed to help inmates enter the labor force that show positive results. Raphael concludes with a set of policy recommendations aimed at addressing the concerns of employers and preparing inmates for the labor force as they exit the prison system. Details: Kalamazoo, MI: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, 2014. 117p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2014 at: http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1244&context=up_press Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://research.upjohn.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1244&context=up_press Shelf Number: 132491 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentLabor MarketReentry |
Author: Malloch, Margaret Title: The Elements of Effective Through-Care. Part 1: International Review Summary: This report forms Part 1 of a two-part review of the elements of effective through-care. It examines the international evidence in order to identify practice that appears to be effective, alongside areas that may hinder effective interventions. Part 2 examines this evidence alongside a review of practice in Scotland. The available evidence, consisting of international research and practice evaluations, clearly highlights the practical issues that prisoners experience at the point of release and transition into the community. These issues often appear more entrenched for short-term prisoners for whom rates of reconviction are highest. The review confirms that already existing difficulties in areas such as accommodation, income, employment, drug and alcohol problems can actually deteriorate after release from custody, and imprisonment may serve to further marginalise particular groups (for example women, young and elderly prisoners, and minority ethnic groups). While programmes in prison may help prepare prisoners for release, according to international research and evaluations these programmes will have greater impact if stable accommodation and employment opportunities are available in the community. Reductions in reoffending appear to be directly related to the availability of support following release, with international evidence suggesting that after-care may be as important as the provision of interventions during the period of custody. Through-care is intended to ensure processes are in place to support prisoners as they move back into their local communities and, to some extent, mitigate the worst effects of detrimental social and economic factors which affect the lives of many people processed by the criminal justice system. There is significant variation regarding the legislative context of through-care provision which can consist of both policy and statutory bases; varying across countries but also across regions and local states within a national framework. The provision of support at this transitional stage can reduce the likelihood of reoffending. Internationally, challenges to the provision of through-care arise from fragmentation of services, under-funding and a limited evidence base for service development. While this review drew on an extensive range of international literature, there are a number of limitations in the evidence available and very little evidence of outcomes obtained as a direct result of through-care services. Differences are evident between academic or independent reviews of through-care provision and project evaluations or policy analysis. Different methodological approaches can also hamper attempts to consider evidence comparatively and an over-reliance on reconviction data often obscures many of the 'softer' measures which are present in the process of (re)-integration. However, despite these caveats, there is sufficient evidence from which a number of conclusions may be drawn with regard to through-care provision. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2013. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 03/2013: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/International_Through-care_Review.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/International_Through-care_Review.pdf Shelf Number: 132806 Keywords: AftercareEx-Offender EmploymentEx-Offenders, HousingPrisoner ReentryPrisoner Reintegration |
Author: Shah, Melissa Ford Title: A Profile of Housing Assistance Recipients in Washington State: History of Arrests, Employment, and Social and Health Service Use Summary: This report examines histories of social and health service use, employment, and arrests for individuals who received assistance from housing programs recorded in the Department of Commerce's Homeless Management Information System and who were also served by the Department of Social and Health Services at least once in recent years. These jointly served clients experienced increases in cash assistance, food assistance, and medical coverage over a five-year period leading up to and including SFY 2010. Their employment and arrest rates rose and then declined over the same time. People who received help from the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing (HPRR) and Transitional Housing Programs tended to have similar demographic, employment, arrest, and social and health service use profiles. In addition, recipients of Emergency Shelter and Permanent Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing tended to be more similar to one another. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2014 at: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ms/rda/research/11/160.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ms/rda/research/11/160.pdf Shelf Number: 133062 Keywords: Ex-offender EmploymentHousing AssistancePrisoner Reentry (Washington State)Recidivism |
Author: Sohoni, Tracy Title: The Effect of Collateral Consequence Laws on State Rates of Returns to Prison Summary: Formal restrictions on a person following arrest or conviction are referred to as "collateral consequence laws" and exist in all states in the US. In recent years, scholars, policy makers and advocacy groups have expressed concern that many of these laws hinder reintegration, increasing the likelihood of future crime. In addition, these laws may interfere with the ability of former offenders to meet conditions of release following incarceration, such as maintaining stable employment and housing or paying child support. In this dissertation I examine the effect of states' collateral consequence laws in the categories of voting, access to public records, employment, public housing, public assistance, and driver's licenses. I examine the impact of these laws on state rates of returns to prison, as measured by percent of prison admissions that were people on conditional release when they entered prison, the percent of exits from parole that were considered unsuccessful due returning to incarceration; the percent of exits from parole that were returned to incarceration for a new sentence, and the percent of exits from parole that were returned to incarceration for a technical violation. I also run an additional fixed effects analysis on the effect of restrictions on Temporary Assistance for Needy Children (TANF) over a seven year period. Ultimately, limitations in the data restrict the conclusions that can be drawn regarding the impact of these laws. Results from the analysis are mixed, indicating that these laws may not have a uniform impact. Surprisingly, these analyses give some indication that collateral consequences may be related to lower rates of returns to prison for technical violations, however future research is needed to confirm this relationship. Possible explanations for these relationships are discussed, as are future research possibilities that would address limitations in the data. Data from the fixed-effects analysis does indicate preliminary support that states that imposed harsh restrictions on TANF saw an increase in state rates of returns to prison, however the analysis will need to be expanded to include state-level controls in order to draw any firm conclusions. Details: College Park, MD: University of Maryland, College Park, 2013. 181p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 11, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/247569.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/247569.pdf Shelf Number: 133277 Keywords: Collateral Consequence Laws (U.S.)Ex-Offender EmploymentHousingParoleesPrisoner ReentryRecidivism |
Author: Sugie, Naomi F. Title: Finding Work: A Smartphone Study of Job Searching, Social Contacts, and Wellbeing after Prison Summary: The immediate months after prison are a critical transition period, which can determine future trajectories of successful reintegration or recidivism. Finding employment after prison is considered a key, if not the most important, condition to prevent recidivism; however, individuals face numerous obstacles to finding work. Although many of these barriers have been documented, methodological difficulties prevent a thorough understanding of how they impact the actual job searching and working experiences of individuals at reentry. Using an innovative data collection method - smartphones - this dissertation contributes a detailed portrait of the searching and working trajectories of 156 individuals. Participants were randomly sampled from a complete census of all recent releases to parole in Newark, New Jersey, and were followed for three months. Utilizing these novel data, the dissertation analyzes a) the searching and working experiences of individuals at reentry, b) the use of social contacts for finding employment, and c) the association between emotional wellbeing and job searching. The manuscript also includes a methodological chapter, which describes the strengths and potential challenges of using smartphones with hard-to-reach populations. Analyses of detailed smartphone measures reveal a reentry period characterized by very short-term, irregular, and poor-quality work. There is substantial heterogeneity across searching and working patterns, where older and less advantaged individuals sustain high levels of job searching throughout the three-month study period. In contrast to prevailing notions in reentry scholarship, individuals are not social isolates or deeply distraught about their job searches; rather, they are highly connected to others and feel happier while searching for work. These results indicate that the low employment rates of reentering individuals are not due to person-specific deficiencies of low social connectivity and poor emotional wellbeing. Reentering individuals, however, remain deeply disadvantaged in the labor market, where they compete for work within a structure of deteriorated opportunities for low-skill, urban, and minority jobseekers more generally. Relegated to the lowest rungs of the market, reentering individuals obtain jobs that are very sporadic and precarious. These findings challenge the established idea that finding suitable employment in today's labor market is an attainable goal for reentering individuals. Details: Princeton, NJ: Princeton University, 2014. 171p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 9, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248487.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248487.pdf Shelf Number: 134294 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentPrisoner Reentry (U.S.)Prisoner Reintegration |
Author: Vallas, Rebecca Title: One Strike and You're Out: How We Can Eliminate Barriers to Economic Security and Mobility for People with Criminal Records Summary: Between 70 million and 100 million Americans-or as many as one in three-have a criminal record. Many have only minor offenses, such as misdemeanors and non-serious infractions; others have only arrests without conviction. Nonetheless, because of the rise of technology and the ease of accessing data via the Internet-in conjunction with federal and state policy decisions-having even a minor criminal history now carries lifelong barriers that can block successful re-entry and participation in society. This has broad implications-not only for the millions of individuals who are prevented from moving on with their lives and becoming productive citizens but also for their families, communities, and the national economy. Today, a criminal record serves as both a direct cause and consequence of poverty. It is a cause because having a criminal record can present obstacles to employment, housing, public assistance, education, family reunification, and more; convictions can result in monetary debts as well. It is a consequence due to the growing criminalization of poverty and homelessness. One recent study finds that our nation's poverty rate would have dropped by 20 percent between 1980 and 2004 if not for mass incarceration and the subsequent criminal records that haunt people for years after they have paid their debt to society. Failure to address this link as part of a larger anti-poverty agenda risks missing a major piece of the puzzle. It is important to note that communities of color-and particularly men of color-are disproportionately affected, and high-poverty, disadvantaged communities generate a disproportionate share of Americans behind bars. As Michelle Alexander argues in her book The New Jim Crow,mass incarceration and its direct and collateral consequences have effectively replaced intentional racism as a form of 21st century structural racism. Indeed, research shows that mass incarceration and its effects have been significant drivers of racial inequality in the United States, particularly during the past three to four decades. Moreover, the challenges associated with having a criminal record come at great cost to the U.S. economy. Estimates put the cost of employment losses among people with criminal records at as much as $65 billion per year in terms of gross domestic product. That's in addition to our nation's skyrocketing expenditures for mass incarceration, which today total more than $80 billion annually. The lifelong consequences of having a criminal record-and the stigma that accompanies one-stand in stark contrast to research on "redemption" that documents that once an individual with a prior nonviolent conviction has stayed crime free for three to four years, that person's risk of recidivism is no different from the risk of arrest for the general population. Put differently, people are treated as criminals long after they pose any significant risk of committing further crimes-making it difficult for many to move on with their lives and achieve basic economic security, let alone have a shot at upward mobility. The United States must therefore craft policies to ensure that Americans with criminal records have a fair shot at making a decent living, providing for their families, and joining the middle class. This will benefit not only the tens of millions of individuals who face closed doors due to a criminal record but also their families, their communities, and the economy as a whole. President Barack Obama's administration has been a leader on this important issue. For example, the Bureau of Justice Administration's Justice Reinvestment Initiative has assisted states and cities across the country in reducing correctional spending and reinvesting the savings in strategies to support re-entry and reduce recidivism. The Federal Interagency Reentry Council, established in 2011 by Attorney General Eric Holder, has brought 20 federal agencies together to coordinate and advance effective re-entry policies. And the president's My Brother's Keeper initiative has charged communities across the country with implementing strategies to close opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color and to ensure that "all young people ... can reach their full potential, regardless of who are they are, where they come from, or the circumstances into which they are born." Additionally, states and cities across the country have enacted policies to alleviate the barriers associated with having a criminal history. While these are positive steps, further action is needed at all levels of government. This report offers a road map for the administration and federal agencies, Congress, states and localities, employers, and colleges and universities to ensure that a criminal record no longer presents an intractable barrier to economic security and mobility. Bipartisan momentum for criminal justice reform is growing, due in part to the enormous costs of mass incarceration, as well as an increased focus on evidence-based approaches to public safety. Policymakers and opinion leaders of all political stripes are calling for sentencing and prison reform, as well as policies that give people a second chance. Now is the time to find common ground and enact meaningful solutions to ensure that a criminal record does not consign an individual to a life of poverty. Details: Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2014. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2015 at: https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/VallasCriminalRecordsReport.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/VallasCriminalRecordsReport.pdf Shelf Number: 134537 Keywords: Criminal RecordsEmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentEx-Offenders (U.S.)Prisoner Reentry |
Author: Community Legal Services of Philadelphia Title: Young Women of Color with Criminal Records: A Barrier to Economic Stability for Low-Income Families and Communities Summary: Over the past few years, young women of color have been represented at a disproportionately high rate among clients coming to Community Legal Services (CLS) for help with barriers to employment caused by criminal records. This is particularly notable, as the vast majority of research, programming, and policy attention regarding criminal records and barriers to employment have focused on men. The impact of criminal records on young women seeking employment has largely been overlooked. Many of the young female clients CLS serves are the sole providers for their families and survive on the very limited resources provided by safety-net programs. They typically are able and highly motivated to work so that they can better provide for their families. Yet in our experience, young women who often have more limited and minor criminal records than their male counterparts struggle more to find employment. Data from CLS's legal practice, as well as local and national data and research, shed some light on this troubling dynamic and what can be done to better connect these young women with employment opportunities. Details: Philadelphia: Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, 2014. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2015 at: http://clsphila.org/sites/default/files/issues/Young%20Women%20with%20Criminal%20Records%20Report_0.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://clsphila.org/sites/default/files/issues/Young%20Women%20with%20Criminal%20Records%20Report_0.pdf Shelf Number: 134554 Keywords: Ex-offender EmploymentFemale Offenders (Philadelphia)Minorities |
Author: McGuinness, Paul Title: The use and impact of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974): Final Report Summary: 1. This research arises from a current Government review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). It considers how recent changes to it may affect offender rehabilitation and employment opportunities, and how employers and ex-offenders perceive and are affected by the law. 2. Criminal convictions are an issue for a considerable portion of the Scottish population. Scottish Government analysts have analysed data from the Scottish Offenders Index to produce actual and estimated numbers of persons within the Scottish population having a criminal conviction. This analysis showed that over 38% of men and 9% of women born in 1973 are known to have at least one criminal conviction. Extrapolating to the population as a whole, at least one-third of the adult male population and nearly one in ten of the adult female population is likely to have a criminal record. 3. Criminal records checks are now a regular experience for many people. Currently over one million applications for basic disclosure of criminal convictions are processed every year by Disclosure Scotland. Recent changes have included the creation of a heightened checking scheme for people working with vulnerable groups. 4. Research and review have increasingly raised questions about the ability of the Act to support the smooth integration of people with historical criminal convictions. Rehabilitation periods set out in law have been criticised as too long in light of research on the declining risks of recidivism over time as well as research on the stigmatising effect of waiting for a criminal record to expire. Amendments to the Act have increased the range of professions and situations that are exempted from the Act. 5. Employment is one of the most strongly correlated predictors of reduced reoffending. Not only does it help establish financial stability, but also roots a range of positive social relationships and bases of identity. However, amendments to the ROA which increasingly exempt professions in health and social welfare sectors may be exacerbating barriers to employment for ex-offenders in a labour market where such professions are expanding relative to industrial and manufacturing jobs. 6. Surveys of employers regularly show a lack of knowledge about the ROA and a bias against recruitment of ex-offenders, although there are important exceptions to this particularly where an employer has had prior experience of interviewing or hiring ex-offenders. Most employers who have taken the time to interview or have employed ex-offenders reported positive experiences and a willingness to further recruit from this group. 7. Ex-offenders report experiences of feeling discouraged, stigmatised and being wrongly questioned about their backgrounds when attempting to gain access to employment and education. These perspectives show how legislative frameworks and employer attitudes which affect recruitment of ex-offenders have an effect not only on the employment rates of people trying to reintegrate into society but also on their long-term psychological and general well-being. 8. This report sets out three possible approaches to reform, graduating in the degree to which they would alter existing practices and presumptions. The most minimal modification of the Act's rehabilitation periods would reduce the passive waiting time. Providing a certificate of rehabilitation would create a more active mode of acknowledging restoration of a person's status as a welcomed member of society. Judicial imposition of occupational disqualification shift focus onto the specific exclusion from certain jobs where a case by case analysis determines this is appropriate. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, 2013. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 02/2013: Accessed February 7, 2015 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/SCCJR-ROA-Final-Report-26-June-2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/SCCJR-ROA-Final-Report-26-June-2013.pdf Shelf Number: 134557 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentOffender RehabilitationOffenders (U.K.)Prisoner ReentryRecidivism |
Author: Emsellem, Maurice Title: Advancing a Federal Fair Chance Hiring Agenda: Background Check Reforms in Over 100 Cities, Counties, and States Pave the Way for Presidential Action Summary: Almost one in three adults in the United States has a criminal record that will show up on a routine criminal background check.1 This creates a serious barrier to employment for millions of workers, especially in communities of color hardest hit by decades of over-criminalization. Reflecting the growing political consensus behind "smart on crime" reforms, elected officials from across the ideological spectrum have embraced "fair chance" hiring policies. These reforms restore hope and opportunity to qualified job-seekers with a criminal record who struggle against significant odds to find work and to give back to their communities. More than 100 jurisdictions, including 13 states, the District of Columbia, and 96 cities and counties, have adopted "ban the box" and other fair chance hiring reforms, often in tandem with criminal justice reform priorities. Several major corporations have embraced fair chance hiring as well, including three of the nation's top five retailers: Walmart, Target, and Home Depot. The federal government should build on this momentous wave of support for public- and private-sector hiring reforms. Now is the time for President Obama to act boldly to open up employment opportunities for the large numbers of Americans who have been unfairly locked out of the job market because of a criminal record. As the President's "My Brother's Keeper" Task Force recently concluded: Our youth and communities suffer when hiring practices unnecessarily disqualify candidates based on past mistakes. We should implement reforms to promote successful reentry, including encouraging hiring practices, such as "Ban the Box," which give applicants a fair chance and allows employers the opportunity to judge individual job candidates on their merits as they reenter the workforce. This paper makes the case for a federal fair-chance-hiring administrative initiative-including an Executive Order and Presidential Memorandum-that ensures that both federal agencies and federal contractors are leading the way to create job opportunities for qualified people with criminal records. In addition, as the 114th Congress convenes, this paper identifies several bipartisan legislative priorities, including the REDEEM Act (S. 2567), co-sponsored by Senators Corey Booker (D-NJ) and Rand Paul (R-KY), that would significantly advance employment opportunities for people with criminal records. Details: New York: National Employment Law Project, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2015 at: http://www.nelp.org/page/-/SCLP/Report-Federal-Fair-Chance-Hiring-Agenda.pdf?nocdn=1 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nelp.org/page/-/SCLP/Report-Federal-Fair-Chance-Hiring-Agenda.pdf?nocdn=1 Shelf Number: 134560 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentHiring Practices |
Author: Nolan, Amanda Title: Community Employment Characteristics and Conditional Release Outcome among Federal Offenders Summary: What it means Results revealed that maintenance of a community job, but not skill level of the job, was related to a reduced likelihood of recidivism. This demonstrates the importance of a focus on assisting offenders in obtaining employment they can maintain. Furthermore, offenders identified as having the potential for difficulties with maintaining stable employment should be targeted for additional employment intervention to further help them with their reintegration efforts. What we found After controlling for other factors related to recidivism, offenders who were not employed with a stable job were 3.6 times more likely to return to custody for any reason and 2.5 times more likely to return to custody with a new offence than offenders who were employed with a stable job. Skill level of community employment, however, was not found to be significantly related to conditional release outcomes. In examining characteristics that best predicted an offender's likelihood of job stability, results revealed that being of Aboriginal ancestry, having a medium or high level of risk, a low level of motivation, and a moderate or high level of need in the areas of substance abuse and community functioning were meaningfully associated with a lower likelihood of having stable employment in the community. Why we did this study The role employment plays in reintegration and in reducing recidivism has been widely acknowledged. Much remains to be known, however, regarding what underlies this relationship and what variables are most likely to affect success. The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship between characteristics of jobs obtained by recently released federal offenders and conditional release outcomes. What we did Participants were taken from all federal offenders released into the community on conditional release between April 1st, 2010 and March 31st, 2011. To be included, offenders had to be on the first term of their current sentence, have a follow-up time in the community of a minimum of 180 days, and be employed at least once during the follow-up period. Two community employment characteristics were examined: job stability (maintained at least one job in the community for 90 days or more) and employment skill level (had at least one job in the community that was rated as high-skilled). The total number of participants was 1,741; 94% were men and 13% were of Aboriginal ancestry. In terms of employment characteristics, 81% had at least one job that was considered stable, while 55% had at least one job that was considered high-skilled. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2014. 1p., (Full report available upon request) Source: Internet Resource: 2014 No. R-316: Accessed March 4, 2015 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0316-eng.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0316-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 134752 Keywords: Community Corrections (Canada)Conditional ReleaseEx-offender EmploymentPrisoner ReentryRecidivismReintegration |
Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office Title: Criminal History Records: Additional Actions Could Enhance the Completeness of Records Used For Employment-Related Background Checks Summary: Why GAO Did This Study Authorized employers use information from FBI criminal history record checks to assess a person's suitability for employment or to obtain a license. States create criminal records and the FBI facilitates access to these records by other states for nationwide checks. GAO was asked to assess efforts to address concerns about incomplete records, among other things. This report addresses to what extent (1) states conduct FBI record checks for selected employment sectors and face any challenges; (2) states have improved the completeness of records, and remaining challenges that federal agencies can help mitigate; and (3) private companies conduct criminal record checks, the benefits those checks provide to employers, and any related challenges. GAO analyzed laws and regulations used to conduct criminal record checks and assessed the completeness of records; conducted a nationwide survey, which generated responses from 47 states and the District of Columbia; and interviewed officials that manage checks from the FBI and 4 states (California, Florida, Idaho, and Washington). GAO selected states based on geographic location and other factors. What GAO Recommends GAO recommends, among other things, that the FBI establish plans with time frames for completing the Disposition Task Force's remaining goals. The Department of Justice concurred with all of GAO's recommendations. Details: Washington, DC: GAO, 2015. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: GAO-15-162: Accessed March 28, 2015 at: http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/668505.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/668505.pdf Shelf Number: 134945 Keywords: Background ChecksCriminal Records (U.S.)Ex-offender Employment |
Author: Hopkins, Kathryn Title: The pre-custody employment, training and education status of newly sentenced prisoners Summary: This report provides a detailed summary of prisoners' employment status and training and education levels prior to coming into custody. It is based on the results of Wave 1 of a longitudinal cohort study (Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR)) of 1,435 prisoners in England and Wales newly sentenced (to between one month and four years) in 2005 and 2006. The study shows that SPCR prisoners experience unemployment, low pay, and low occupational status before custody, and demonstrates differences between men and women prisoners, young adult and older adult prisoners, and prisoners of different ethnic backgrounds. About one-third of prisoners reported needing a lot of help to find a job on release. Prisoners appeared motivated to improve their education and skills. Prison interventions may be able to exploit these circumstances to ensure that the net effect of imprisonment on employment is positive. Reduced reoffending on release was associated with higher education and employment status before custody Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2012. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Research Series 3/12: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/278832/newly-sentenced-prisoners.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/278832/newly-sentenced-prisoners.pdf Shelf Number: 131048 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentPrisoner ReentryVocational Education and Training |
Author: Davis, Lois M. Title: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education: A Meta-Analysis of Programs That Provide Education to Incarcerated Adults Summary: After conducting a comprehensive literature search, the authors undertook a meta-analysis to examine the association between correctional education and reductions in recidivism, improvements in employment after release from prison, and learning in math and in reading. Their findings support the premise that receiving correctional education while incarcerated reduces an individual's risk of recidivating. They also found that those receiving correctional education had improved odds of obtaining employment after release. The authors also examined the benefits of computer-assisted learning and compared the costs of prison education programs with the costs of reincarceration. Key Findings Correctional Education Improves Inmates' Outcomes after Release - Correctional education improves inmates' chances of not returning to prison. - Inmates who participate in correctional education programs had a 43 percent lower odds of recidivating than those who did not. This translates to a reduction in the risk of recidivating of 13 percentage points. - It may improve their chances of obtaining employment after release. The odds of obtaining employment post-release among inmates who participated in correctional education was 13 percent higher than the odds for those who did not participate in correctional education. - Inmates exposed to computer-assisted instruction learned slightly more in reading and substantially more in math in the same amount of instructional time. - Providing correctional education can be cost-effective when it comes to reducing recidivism. Recommendations - Further studies should be undertaken to identify the characteristics of effective programs in terms of curriculum, dosage, and quality. - Future studies should incorporate stronger research designs. - Funding grants would be useful in helping further the field, by enabling correctional educators to partner with researchers and evaluators to evaluate their programs. - A study registry of correctional education evaluations would help develop the evidence base in the field, to inform policy and programmatic decisionmaking. Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2013. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR266.html Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR266.html Shelf Number: 129781 Keywords: Correctional EducationCorrectional ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentRecidivismVocational Education and Training |
Author: Bueche, James K., Jr. Title: Adult Offender Recidivism Rates: How effective in Pre-Release and Vocational Educational Programming and What Demographic Factors Contribute to an Offenders Return to Prison Summary: The primary purpose of this study was to determine if the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections' 100 hour pre-release program and vocational education had a significant impact on offender recidivism. Additionally, a model of predicating offender recidivism using demographic data was another aspect of the study. Offenders in the study were 404 offenders who completed the pre-release program, 404 offenders who completed vocational education and 808 offenders who composed the control group. All offenders were released from prison in the year of 2010, and if they returned to prison between their release and December 31, 2013, they were considered to have been a recidivist for the purpose of the study. The effectiveness of the 100 hour pre-release and vocational education was conducted using SPSS with the chi-square test for program significance. Based on the test, neither program was found to have a significant impact on recidivism. However, when examining percentages of return to prison between the three groups, vocational education offenders performed the best and offenders who completed the 100 hour pre-release program had the highest percentage of offenders returning to prison. The ability to develop a predictive model for recidivism utilizing select demographic factors was attempted using SPSS with the Binary Logistical Regression analysis. The demographic factors used were age, sex, race, marital status and education. A predictive model was unable to be established with this population. However, when looking at the population, being a male or a young offender was found to be predictors that were significantly tied with offender recidivism as individual characteristics. Based on the body of research and the findings of the study, recommendations concerning the 100 hour pre-release program and vocational education suggest these programs need additional components of cognitive development training and community supports to show a greater impact on recidivism. Also, the creation of a reliable and valid risk model based on the total offender population is necessary. By implementing effective programs and having the correct offenders entering these programs, a reduction in recidivism may be more significant. Details: Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University, 2014. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 30, 2015 at: http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-07022014-161114/unrestricted/Bueche_diss.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-07022014-161114/unrestricted/Bueche_diss.pdf Shelf Number: 135809 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentRecidivismVocational Education and Training |
Author: Utah. Legislative Auditor General Title: A Performance Audit of Inmate High School Education Summary: Our office was asked to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of inmate high school education programs in Utah's jails and prisons. Educational services are provided by the adult education program of the school district where an inmate is incarcerated. Programs include adult high school completion (AHSC), adult basic education (ABE), and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). In 2011, 21 local school districts provided educational services to 5,268 inmate students in 23 jails and 2 state prisons. The Utah State Office of Education (USOE) administers the adult education programs, including tracking student demographics, contact hours, and outcomes on a compute-based information system. Inmate High School Education Costs Were about $5.4 Million in 2011. This chapter identifies the cost of educating inmate students. There are two primary revenue sources for inmate high school education: (1) a portion of the Adult Education budget distributed based on a formula that considers the number of enrollees, contact hours, and outcomes (diplomas/GEDs, credits, and academic level gains); and (2) Corrections Education funds distributed only to the two school districts with prison programs, Canyons and South Sanpete. In 2011, school districts with prison programs received significantly more funds ($1330 per student) than districts with jail programs ($653 per student). Based on this inequity, we recommend that USOE consider modifying the distribution formula to ensure that school districts receive an equitable portion of the Adult Education funds. USOE should also develop a formula to provide some of the Corrections Education funds to jail programs with students who are prison inmates housed in jails on a contractual basis. Inmates Achieve Academic Benefits. In 2011, the 5,268 inmates enrolled in adult education were awarded 853 diplomas and 330 GEDs, while achieving 12,003 high school credits and 2,143 level gains. On average, these outcomes per student were equivalent for both jail and prison programs but prison programs chose to focus mostly on issuing diplomas instead of GEDs. Comparisons show that inmate programs achieved significantly more than students in traditional adult education programs. Impact of High School Education on Employment Is Unclear. The primary purpose of educating inmates is to enhance their opportunities for employment upon release, which in turn makes it less likely they will return to jail. However, employment rates are not effectively evaluated. One factor impacting employment rates is identifying the incarceration status of former students. Our limited evaluation shows that many former students are still incarcerated and not available to work. Since education is beneficial only when inmates will soon be available for employment, we recommend that inmate programs give priority to students who are likely to leave the correctional facility within five years of participating in the education program. We also recommend that USOE and the Utah Department of Corrections partner to further evaluate the employment benefits of inmate education. Monitoring Is Needed to Ensure Inmate Contact Hours Are Reasonable. Comparisons of contact hours per student and per outcome revealed that some programs used an excessive amount of contact hours to educate inmates. But these students did not always demonstrate much progress toward achieving their goals. We recommend that USOE establish guidelines for the number of contact hours that are reasonable in relation to a student's accomplishments. Many Contact Hours Are Used for Students Who Already Have Diplomas. Many inmate students with diplomas continue to receive adult education services. Administrative rules state that adults with a high school diploma are eligible to receive services if tests show their functional educational level is less than a post-secondary level. Many students qualify, including students who have just been awarded a diploma. Although USOE policies require that priority be given to students lacking a diploma, some of these students continue receiving thousands of hours of services with little gain. We recommend that USOE consider placing limits on the number of contact hours used for students who already have a diploma. Details: Salt Lake City: Utah Legislative Auditor General, 2012. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Report no. 2012-11: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: http://le.utah.gov/audit/12_11rpt.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://le.utah.gov/audit/12_11rpt.pdf Shelf Number: 129973 Keywords: Correctional EducationCorrectional ProgramsCosts of CorrectionsEducational ProgramsEx-Offender Employment |
Author: Roman, Caterina G. Title: Child Support, Debt, and Prisoner Reentry: Examining the Influences of Prisoners' Legal and Financial Obligations on Reentry Summary: Former prisoners are increasingly facing the burden of financial debt associated with legal and criminal justice obligations in the U.S., yet little research has pursued how - theoretically or empirically - the burden of debt might affect key outcomes in prisoner reentry. To address the limited research, we examine the impact that having legal child support (CS) obligations has on employment and recidivism using data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI). In this report we describe the characteristics of adult male returning prisoners with child support orders and debt, and examine whether participation in SVORI was associated with greater services receipt than those in the comparison groups (for relevant services such as child-support services, employment preparation, and financial and legal assistance). We also examine the lagged impacts that child support obligations, legal employment and rearrest have on each other. Results from the crossed lagged panel model using GSEM in STATA indicate that while having child support debt does not appear to influence employment significantly, it does show a marginally significant protective effect - former prisoners who have child support obligations are less likely to be arrested after release from prison than those who do not have obligations. We discuss the findings within the framework of past and emerging theoretical work on desistance from crime. We also discuss the implications for prisoner reentry policy and practice. Details: Philadelphia: Temple University, Department of Criminal Justice, 2015. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248906.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248906.pdf Shelf Number: 136134 Keywords: Child Support Children of Prisoners (U.S.) Criminal Justice DebtDesistanceEx-Offender EmploymentInmates Families Prisoner ReentryRecidivism |
Author: Wiegand, Andrew Title: Evaluation of the Re-Integration of Ex-Offenders (RExO) Program: Two-Year Impact Report Summary: The Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (RExO) project began in 2005 as a joint initiative of the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and several other federal agencies. RExO aimed to capitalize on the strengths of faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) and their ability to serve prisoners seeking to reenter their communities following the completion of their sentences. In June 2009, ETA contracted with Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) and its subcontractors MDRC and NORC at the University of Chicago to conduct an impact evaluation of 24 RExO grantees. The programs funded under RExO primarily provided three main types of services: mentoring, which most often took the form of group mentoring, but also included one-on-one mentoring and other activities; employment services, including work readiness training, job training, job placement, job clubs, transitional employment, and post-placement follow-up; and case management and supportive services. This report summarizes the impacts of the RExO program on offender outcomes in four areas: service receipt, labor market success, recidivism, and other outcomes. Using a random assignment (RA) design, the evaluation created two essentially equivalent groups: a program group that was eligible to enroll in RExO and a control group that was prevented from enrolling in RExO but could enroll in other services. Key findings can be summarized as follows: - RExO significantly increased the number and types of services received. Program group members reported having received, on average, a wider array of services than control group members. Program group members were more likely to participate in job clubs or job readiness classes and to receive vocational training, job search assistance, referrals to job openings, and help with resume development and filling out job applications. Program group members were also more likely to report participating in mentoring sessions and to declare that there was someone from a program who went out of their way to help them and to whom they could turn for advice on personal or family issues. Despite these differences, it is important to note that the program primarily provided work readiness training and support services; fewer than one in five RExO participants (and one in seven control group members) received any form of vocational or other forms of training designed to enhance their skills in in-demand industries. - The economic downturn placed additional pressures on ex-offenders. Unemployment rates in grantee communities were high. Data gathered as part of the evaluation's implementation study indicated that employers that previously hired ex-offenders subsequently had an abundant and overqualified pool of candidates vying for fewer jobs and were less willing to hire individuals with criminal backgrounds, potentially affecting study participants' ability to find and retain employment. In addition, cuts to state and local budgets as a result of the economic downturn reduced other services that could help ex-offenders smoothly re-enter society. - RExO significantly increased self-reported employment, within both the first and second years after RA. These increases were small (between 2.6 and 3.5 percentage points), but statistically significant. In addition, RExO significantly reduced the length of time between RA and self-reported first employment. At any given point following random assignment, program group members who had not yet found work were about 11 percent more likely to do so in the next time period than were control group members who had also not yet found work. However, there were no differences between the study groups in the total number of days employed in the two-year period following RA. - RExO had no effect on reported hourly wages, but did increase total reported income from all sources. There were no differences between the study groups in their reported hourly wages at either the first job obtained after RA or at their current or most recent job, but program group members reported higher average total income from all sources. It is not clear whether this higher average income is due to program group members working more total hours than control group members, obtaining more non-wage income, or some other reason, but program group members reported receiving approximately eight percent more income than control group members. - RExO had no effect on recidivism. Using both administrative data and survey data, program group members were no less likely to have been convicted of a crime or incarcerated than control group members. While results from the survey indicate that RExO reduced the arrest rate (in the first and second years after RA) among program group members, the administrative data found no such effect. Analyses of this discrepancy suggest this difference is driven by either recall bias or otherwise inaccurate reporting on the part of program group members. There was little evidence that RExO affected an array of other outcomes. RExO had no effect on self-reported mental health, substance abuse, housing, and child support. There was some evidence that RExO may have affected health outcomes, as program group members were less likely to report having made any visits to the emergency room (a difference of 4.2 percentage points) or that their physical health limited their work or activities in the most recent month (a difference of 4.7 percentages points). Given that RExO grantees only rarely provided services directly to address these issues, it is perhaps not surprising that there are no clear effects in these areas. Taken together, these findings present a mixed picture of the impact of RExO. On the one hand, it is clear that RExO increased the number and types of services received by program group members, and that it improved the self-reported labor market outcomes of participants as well. But there is little evidence this translated into any impacts on recidivism. Further, the impacts on employment, while statistically significant, are quite small in practical terms. Details: Oakland, CA: Social Policy Research Associates, 2015. 163p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/ETAOP_2015-04.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/ETAOP_2015-04.pdf Shelf Number: 136625 Keywords: Case ManagementEx-Offender EmploymentEx-Offenders Job TrainingMentoringPrisoner ReentryRecidivismRehabilitation |
Author: Desai, Anita Title: Social Enterprise and Labour Market Integration for Individuals Exiting the Criminal Justice System: A Synthesis of Pilot Project Evaluations Summary: SLSC is pleased to present the Social Enterprise and Labour Market Integration for Individuals Exiting the Criminal Justice System: A Synthesis of Pilot Project Evaluations report. The objective of this report is to develop a synthesis of the findings of the 2013-14 evaluations of the five Federal Horizontal Pilot Projects (FHPPs) funded under the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). On April 1, 2007, the Government of Canada introduced the HPS-Xa strategy aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness in Canada. Recognizing that homelessness is a shared responsibility, the HPS works to enhance partnerships with provincial and territorial governments and a wide range of community stakeholders to find longer-term solutions to homelessness, strengthen community capacity and build sustainability. Through work with other federal departments and agencies, the HPS explores innovative ways to prevent and reduce homelessness. The five FHPPs mentioned in this report were developed in partnership with ESDC (under the HPS), Correctional Services Canada (CSC) and Public Safety Canada. These projects aimed to explore how social enterprises can contribute to labour market integration for individuals exiting the criminal justice system who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. For the purposes of this project, social enterprises are defined as businesses owned by non-profit organizations, that are directly involved in the production and/or selling of goods and services for the blended purpose of generating income and achieving social, cultural, and/or environmental aims. Social enterprises are one more tool for non-profits to use to meet their mission to contribute to healthy communities. This definition, from the Social Enterprise Council of Canada, supports the way in which SLSC has observed social enterprise throughout the course of this research. It maintains a focus on the key components of target populations and mission, and reflects a national organization that has undertaken efforts to support the growth of social enterprises in Canada. The synthesis leverages collective knowledge on promising practices on social enterprise, especially in terms of sustainability and effectiveness, and aims to serve as a reference guide to support the creation of social enterprises to prevent and reduce homelessness. The report consists of the following components: - A synthesis of five FHPP Evaluations that addresses: key successes/challenges; lessons learned; strategies employed; and future directions; - A summary of available literature that focuses on: impacts, outcomes, sustainability challenges, and risks in relation to social enterprise and how different sub-populations i.e. mental health, criminal justice, and homelessness intersect with these topics; - A comparative analysis of how the five FHPP organizations' experiences relate to the literature findings; and, - Concluding thoughts to support policy development and knowledge dissemination activities related to social enterprise. Details: Ottawa: St. Leonard's Society of Canada, 2015. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.stleonards.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SLSC_CDHPD_Social-enterprise-and-labour-market-integration-for-individuals-exiting-the-criminal-justice-system-a-synthesis-of-pilot-project-evaluations1.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.stleonards.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SLSC_CDHPD_Social-enterprise-and-labour-market-integration-for-individuals-exiting-the-criminal-justice-system-a-synthesis-of-pilot-project-evaluations1.pdf Shelf Number: 136636 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentHomeless PersonsHomelessnessPrisoner ReentrySocial Enterprise |
Author: Duran, Le'Ann Title: Integrated Reentry and Employment Strategies: Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Job Readiness Summary: THIS WHITE PAPER is written for policymakers and practitioners engaged in the corrections and workforce development fields who recognize the need for the two systems to collaborate more closely to improve public safety and employment outcomes for people who have been incarcerated or are on probation or parole. It promotes close collaborations with reentry service providers and provides guidance on prioritizing scarce resources to more effectively reduce rates of reincarceration and joblessness. The paper also outlines principles that should drive both supervision and service decisions - decisions that can help ensure that front-line personnel's efforts are having the greatest positive effect. Employment providers are already serving large numbers of individuals released from correctional facilities or who are required to find jobs as conditions of their probation or parole. Yet the corrections, reentry, and workforce development fields have lacked an integrated tool that draws on the best thinking about reducing recidivism and improving job placement and retention to guide correctional supervision and the provision of community-based services. To address this gap, this white paper presents a tool that draws on evidence-based criminal justice practices and promising strategies for connecting hard-to-employ people to work. It calls for program design and practices to be tailored for adults with criminal histories based on their level of risk for future criminal activity. Some people question why limited resources should be focused on employing men and women who have been in prison, jail, or are on probation or parole when unemployment rates remain high across the nation for law-abiding individuals. With mounting research, it is clear there are significant benefits for our communities in working with this population. Successful reintegration into the workforce can make neighborhoods and families safer and more stable. Linking individuals who have been involved with the corrections system to jobs and helping them succeed can reduce the staggering costs to taxpayers for reincarceration and increases contributions to the tax base for community services. If releasees and supervisees are working, their time is being spent in constructive ways and they are then less likely to engage in crime and disorder in their neighborhoods. They also are more likely to develop prosocial relationships when their time is structured with work and they are able to help care and provide for their families. Employment is a point at which the goals of the criminal justice, workforce development, family services, health and human services, and social services systems can converge. With budget cuts to all these systems, resources must be focused on the right individuals (i.e., people who would benefit the most from interventions), using the right strategies that are delivered at the right time. Improved outcomes for individuals returning to their communities, for their families, and for each system's investments can be realized by better coordinating the correctional supervision, treatment, supports, and other services being delivered at that point of intersection to individuals who have been incarcerated or are on probation or parole. This white paper is meant to facilitate discussions across systems by introducing a tool that can help put such a framework for coordination in place. Details: New York: Council of State Governments, Justice Center, 2013. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2015 at: https://www.bja.gov/Publications/CSG-Reentry-and-Employment.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: https://www.bja.gov/Publications/CSG-Reentry-and-Employment.pdf Shelf Number: 130032 Keywords: EmploymentEvidence-Based PracticesEx-Offender EmploymentJobsPrisoner ReentryRecidivismReintegration |
Author: Andersen, Lars Hojsgaard Title: Losing the stigma of incarceration: Does serving a sentence with electronic monitoring causally improve post-release labor market outcomes? Summary: Many Western countries now use electronic monitoring (EM) of some offenders as an alternative to more traditional forms of punishments such as imprisonment. While the main reason for introducing EM is the growing prison population, politicians and administrators also believe that this type of punishment achieves a positive effect by reducing recidivism and the probability of post-release marginalization. The small existing empirical literature on the effect of EM finds mixed support for this belief, but is, however, based on very small sample sizes. We expand this literature by studying the causal effect of EM on social benefit dependency after the sentence has been served. We use administrative data from Statistics Denmark that include information on all Danish offenders who have served their sentence under EM rather than in prison. We compare post-release dependency rates for this group with outcomes for a historical control group of convicted offenders who would have served their sentences with EM had the option been available - i.e. who are identical to the EM group on all observed and unobserved characteristics. We find that serving a sentence with EM significantly decreases the dependency rates after release. Details: Copenhagen, Denmark: The Rockwool Foundation Research Unit and University Press of Southern Denmark, 2012. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Study paper No. 40: Accessed September 21, 2015 at: http://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/files/RFF-site/Publikations%20upload/Arbejdspapirer/Losing%20the%20stigma%20of%20incarceration_40.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Denmark URL: http://www.rockwoolfonden.dk/files/RFF-site/Publikations%20upload/Arbejdspapirer/Losing%20the%20stigma%20of%20incarceration_40.pdf Shelf Number: 124697 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationElectronic MonitoringEx-offender EmploymentOffender SupervisionRecidivism |
Author: Yelowitz, Aaron Title: Prison-To-Work: The Benefits of Intensive Job-Search Assistance for Former Inmates Summary: Of the 650,000 inmates released from prisons and jails in the United States each year, as many as two-thirds will be arrested for a new offense within three years. This study evaluates the impact of enhanced job-readiness training and job-search assistance on reducing recidivism rates among ex-offenders. Programs offering enhanced job assistance are far from the norm. The program used in this study-developed by an employment agency that assists ex-offenders, welfare recipients, and other "hard-to-serve" clients-differs from other job services in scope and focus. The program, America Works, is condensed into an intense one- or two-week period. It uses a tough-love approach, stressing interpersonal communication and such "soft" skills as time and anger management. It places special attention on teaching practical skills that many former inmates never acquired, such as resume preparation, search strategies, and interview techniques. And it uses a network of employers, who are open to hiring ex-offenders and with whom it has long-term relationships, to place clients. Its goal is not only to help former inmates find jobs but also to keep jobs, and it provides follow-up services for six months. In 2005, the program provided job-readiness classes to 1,000 ex-offenders, placing 700 in jobs. America Works receives referrals from agencies in New York City, including the city government's Human Resources Administration (HRA), work-release centers, and the city's Rikers Island Correctional Facility. By contrast, typical services offered to ex-offenders provide far less job-readiness training over a less concentrated period. Instead of providing placement services, such programs generally limit assistance to self-directed job searches. This paper's key finding is that training designed to quickly place former inmates in jobs significantly decreases the likelihood that ex-offenders with nonviolent histories will be rearrested. Only 31.1 percent of nonviolent ex-offenders who received enhanced training were arrested during the 18 to 36 months in which they were tracked, compared with 50 percent of similar participants who received standard training. In contrast, former inmates with histories of violence were rearrested at virtually the same pace, whether they received enhanced training or not: 44.6 percent versus 42.6 percent, respectively. Findings for criminal convictions show similar patterns for arrests. These results suggest that extra help in looking for work upon release from jail or prison can pay off in a big way but not for all types of former offenders. Enhanced assistance is most effective for those without a history of violence and with few prior charges-while the additional help is far less effective for those with a more difficult history, including violence or many prior charges. Very little research has been conducted on this topic. The results of this study have important implications for government policymakers, public and private social welfare agencies, and, of course, employers. Indeed, at a time of ever-tightening federal and state budgets and ever-rising costs of incarceration, the Obama administration and many state governments are seeking ways to reduce swollen prison populations, particularly the number of nonviolent criminals, partly by using new guidelines for early release. Likewise, many states are scrambling to find programs to sharply cut the number of repeat offenders. Inmates nevertheless face formidable hurdles in securing employment following release back into society. Often lacking skills to find a job, they typically receive little help, increasing the odds, especially in a still-weak economy, that they will come up empty-and revert to a life of crime and return, eventually, to prison. By linking enhanced training to a targeted group of ex-offenders, this study points toward a breakthrough in reducing not only the rate of recidivism but also the cost to society. The program used by America Works, which has offices in New York and six other states and the District of Columbia, costs about $5,000 for each former inmate. While the benefits to society from averted crimes are very hard to calculate in dollar terms, the study estimated average savings of about $231,000 for each nonviolent ex-offender who received extra help, based on the lower crime record posted by the group as a whole, following training. This figure represents a 46-fold return on the cost of the training, not counting impossible-to-quantify benefits to individuals involved, their families, and communities. The intervention of enhanced services was conducted from June 2009 to December 2010, with a randomized trial involving 259 ex-offenders in New York. Participants, all men, had been released from a prison, jail, or youth correctional facility within six months of acceptance into the program. Approximately half of the participants received enhanced employment services from America Works while the other half received typical services, also provided by America Works. Criminal recidivism for 219 ex-offenders was measured from administrative records in July 2012, tracking arrests and convictions of participants in six-month intervals from the point they joined the study for up to 36 months. Enhanced services had no significant impact on recidivism for the group as a whole. Yet that result masked significant differences among varied segments that formed the group. As previously noted, former inmates with histories of violence were little affected by the extra help while those with nonviolent histories benefited substantially. Even within the latter group, however, significant differences appeared, offering additional clues about where to focus job-training dollars. Further exploration revealed that enhanced services had the largest impact among nonviolent criminals with the fewest prior charges. Differences were also found among the three subsets of nonviolent offenders: those who had committed offenses involving property, those who had committed crimes involving the sale or possession of drugs, and those who had been involved in minor offenses. Ex-offenders with property crimes and those with minor offenses were found to be most responsible for positive recidivism results. The subset with a history of drug crimes appeared to have no significant impact on recidivism results. Given the small samples, however, caution must be used when interpreting such results. Collectively, these results suggest that enhanced job-search assistance is most effective for the easiest of the hard-to-serve population - and that focusing future efforts on this group is the most cost-effective approach. Details: New York: Center for State and Local Leadership, Manhattan Institute, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2015 at: http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/prison-work-5876.html Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/prison-work-5876.html Shelf Number: 137230 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentJobsPrisoner ReentryVocational Education and Training |
Author: Broadus, Joseph Title: A Successful Prisoner Reentry Program Expands: Lessons from the Replication of the Center for Employment Opportunities Summary: This report presents results from a fidelity assessment and implementation analysis of five Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) replication programs in New York, California, and Oklahoma. Between 2004 and 2010, MDRC conducted a rigorous random assignment evaluation of the original CEO program as part of the Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ Demonstration and Evaluation funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The evaluation found that CEO was effective at reducing recidivism rates - the rates at which participants committed new crimes or were reincarcerated - among important subgroups of its participant population. Based in part on these findings, the CEO program was selected by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation in 2011 to be part of its Social Innovation Fund and receive funding and technical assistance to expand and replicate the model in various locations across the United States. Based in New York City, CEO is one of the nation's largest transitional jobs programs for former prisoners. The program offers participants temporary, paid jobs, along with employment counseling and other services, all aimed at making them more employable and preventing their return to prison. The current study describes how the model was replicated in other locations, assesses its implementation in various contexts, and reports on findings from a qualitative study of participants' perceptions of and experiences in the CEO program. The findings presented in this report focus on the implementation of CEO's core elements at the replication sites and provide a description of participants' experience with the program. One additional goal of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of which aspects of the CEO model may have contributed to the reductions in recidivism found in the initial evaluation of the New York City program. This report's findings include the following: - Overall, the replication programs operated with high fidelity to the original program model. - Participants in replication programs engaged in CEO activities at similar rates as did participants in New York City, although replication programs did a better job of moving participants through the model's early stages and into working with the staff to obtain unsubsidized employment. - Participants said that the program's most essential and distinctive elements were its structure and the support of its staff members. - While CEO work crews offered some opportunities for skills training, they functioned primarily as jobs, with the habits and competencies that make for a good employee emphasized through the routine of reporting for work each day, cooperating with colleagues, and following supervisors' directions. Details: New York: MDRC, 2016. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 22, 2016 at: http://mdrc.org/sites/default/files/CEO-PrisonerReentryReport.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://mdrc.org/sites/default/files/CEO-PrisonerReentryReport.pdf Shelf Number: 137586 Keywords: Employment ProgramsEx-offender EmploymentJobsPrisoner ReentryRecidivism |
Author: Siegel, Jonah Aaron Title: Prisoner Reentry, Parole Violations, and the Persistence of the Surveillance State Summary: The revolving door of the state and federal prison system may be the most persistent challenge faced by criminological practitioners and scholars. Following release from custody, the majority of former prisoners end up back in the system within three years, suggesting that correctional involvement is not an isolated incident for most offenders. Through its analysis of parole violations and sanctions, the current dissertation project offers important new insights on this "revolving door" between prisons and high-risk communities. To do so, each of three empirical chapters looks at a different phase in the cycle of recidivism: offending behavior, institutional responses to offending behavior, and the consequences of institutional sanctions for offenders' well-being. The first analytic chapter examines how geographical proximity to social service providers is related to the risk of recidivism. The findings suggest that the observed impact of contextual conditions on recidivism depends on how expansively one defines the "community" in which parolees are embedded and further demonstrates the importance of capturing the effect of service accessibility on offending behavior within the larger ecological context of where parolees live. The second analytic chapter explores how "supervision regimes," the legal, political, and cultural factors that shape the way supervision is practiced across jurisdictions, influence the risk of recidivism. The analysis demonstrates that regional and county-level attributes shape local templates for decision-making among parole officers in ways that affect not only whether parolees are revoked to prison, but also the use of alternative sanctions, such as stricter community supervision and incarceration in short-term correctional facilities such as jails or detention centers. The final analytic chapter offers a rigorous assessment of the causal impact of incarceration on labor market outcomes through an examination of whether return to short-term custody interferes with the ability of parolees to find and maintain work. Findings indicate that the experience of short-term re-incarceration dramatically increases the risk of unemployment among parolees in the months during and following their incarceration. Taken as a whole, the analyses shed light on how offending behavior, institutional decision-making, and the experience of incarceration combine to perpetuate the cycle of recidivism. Details: Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, 2014. 147p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 9, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248412.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248412.pdf Shelf Number: 137815 Keywords: Decision-MakingEx-Offender EmploymentOffender SupervisionParole OfficersParole ViolationsParoleePrisoner ReentryRecidivism |
Author: Morris, Michele Title: The Impact of Sentencing on Offenders' Future Labour Market Outcomes and Re-offending - Community Work Versus Fines Summary: This study provides evidence to help inform sentencing policy by assessing the differential impact of two types of sentences (community work and fines) on adult offenders' subsequent employment, benefit receipt and re-offending. This is the first study in New Zealand to examine post-sentencing employment outcomes and benefit receipt of such offenders. We focus on offences where we observe variation in sentencing after controlling for observable differences and examine outcomes for up to three years following conviction. This analysis uses recently-linked anonymised administrative data from the tax, benefit and justice systems within Statistics New Zealand's Integrated Data Infrastructure, which provides detailed information on all convicted offenders and their offending. Impacts are estimated by comparing the changes in post-conviction outcomes of offenders who received a fine with changes in outcomes for matched comparison groups of offenders who received a community work sentence. Matching is done using the method of propensity score matching. Impacts are estimated separately for four types of offences and for a general model that pools several types of offences together. People sentenced to community work are more likely to re-offend within two years of conviction compared to fined offenders. There is no difference in impact on employment during the follow-up period for the two types of sentences (except in one case where there is a short-term differential impact in the year following conviction). We find that people sentenced to community work are more likely to be on benefit following conviction compared to people who are fined. We regard our estimates as an upper bound of the true differential impact of community work compared to fines on offenders' subsequent outcomes. While our method controls for observed offender characteristics, it is still possible that there are significant uncontrolled differences between the offenders who were sentenced to community work and those who were fined (eg, the differences in being on benefit could be due to differences in the level of financial support from a partner). Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Treasury, 2015. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: New Zealand Treasury Working Paper 15/04: Accessed February 24, 2016 at: http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/wp/2015/15-04/twp15-04.pdf Year: 2015 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/research-policy/wp/2015/15-04/twp15-04.pdf Shelf Number: 137953 Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Community Sentences Ex-Offender EmploymentFines Sentencing |
Author: George, Anitha Title: Evaluation of day one mandation of prison leavers to the Work Programme Summary: The Work Programme is an active labour market programme launched in Great Britain in June 2011. Since 1 March 2012 prison leavers claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) have been mandated to join the Work Programme immediately on release from custody. This was based on the recognition that prison leavers' extensive barriers to employment suggest a greater need for employment assistance. A key feature of the policy is the facility for prisoners to make an advance JSA claim from up to five weeks pre-release. The evaluation examined the policy implementation and programme delivery of day one mandation. Key findings Advance JSA claims were seen as beneficial by payment group 9 (PG9) claimants and Employment and Benefit Advisers (EBAs). They made the process easier and quicker, as well as helping to prevent financial hardship. The introduction of PG9 did not result in substantial changes to providers' models. Providers reported lower than expected referral numbers and hence financial constraints to providing dedicated PG9 support. However, some changes did occur including: some prerelease work (though this was not extensive); the training or increased use of ex-offender specialist advisers and/or subcontractors; and greater provision of in-work support for the group (as PG9 claimants, in general, were seen to be more in need of this than other claimants). Results from the survey of claimants did not suggest intensive support for the group. Survey findings of note include the low proportion of respondents who stated having had a skills assessment (43 per cent) or drawing up an action plan (49 per cent). Respondents found seeing the same adviser all or most of the time to be helpful in order to build a trusting relationship. Additionally, prison leavers are a heterogeneous group, some of whom have extensive barriers to employment, making it difficult for them to find work in the two years of the programme. Details: London: Department for Work & Pensions, 2014. 179p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/399519/rr897-evaluation-day-one-mandation.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/399519/rr897-evaluation-day-one-mandation.pdf Shelf Number: 138028 Keywords: Employment ProgramsEx-offender EmploymentPrisoner ReentryWork Programs |
Author: Brunton-Smith, Ian Title: The impact of experience in prison on the employment status of longer-sentenced prisoners after release. Results from the Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction (SPCR) longitudinal cohort study of prisoners Summary: According to survey data, around two-thirds of prisoners are unemployed both before and after custody. The importance of employment in supporting reducing re-offending has long been recognised. There is less understanding of why some prisoners are able to secure work, whilst others do not. Improving our understanding is a key priority for those involved in the management and rehabilitation of offenders. Between 2005 and 2010 a longitudinal cohort study (Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction - SPCR) was conducted, involving face to face interviews with prisoners during and after custody, as well as matching individuals to administrative data such as criminal records. During the SPCR interviews, prisoners were asked about events and circumstances in childhood and early life and before coming into custody as well as their experiences in prison and after release. Previous reports from the SPCR study have focused on the background characteristics of 1,435 prisoners sentenced to between one month and four years in prison (SPCR Sample 1), including childhood experiences, education, employment, drug and alcohol use, health and mental health, needs and attitudes, accommodation before custody, and criminal history (MoJ, 2010a; Boorman & Hopkins, 2012; Hopkins, 2012; Williams, Poyser & Hopkins, 2012; Williams, Papadopoulou & Booth, 2012; Light, Grant & Hopkins, 2013) These reports were based on bivariate analysis and explored prevalence of these pre-custody factors and whether they were associated with higher rates of re-offending on release. In addition, a longitudinal report (Brunton-Smith & Hopkins, 2013) demonstrated which factors identified in the bivariate analyses remained independently associated with re-offending after release from prison, once all other factors were taken into account. SPCR respondents were asked about their employment status during the Wave 3 interviews, conducted a few months2 post-release from prison. The current report presents findings about the factors that are associated with employment after release, for 2,171 prisoners serving sentences of between 18 months and four years (SPCR Sample 2). These sentence lengths are not typical, as on average, most prisoners are sentenced to less than one year in prison.3 However, longer-sentenced prisoners are more likely to access programmes and interventions in prison, and this focus on longer-sentenced prisoners may allow analysis of the effects of these programmes on outcomes such as employment after release. The research first uses bivariate analysis to describe a range of factors before, during custody and after release, exploring how post-custody employment rates vary according to these factors. The analysis then focuses more specifically on identifying the factors that were most strongly associated with higher likelihood of reporting employment after release. To do so the analysis used logistic regression, developing a multivariate model to allow several factors to be tested for their association with post-custody employment at the same time. This allows us to demonstrate which factors were independently associated with employment, when all factors were considered together. Logistic regression analysis does not establish causal links between events, circumstances and re-offending. Nevertheless, the approach allows us to identify a range of factors directly associated with employment after release from prison, and to consider the relative importance of different factors to support policy makers and practitioners working with prisoners and ex-prisoners. Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2014. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Analytical Series: Accessed March 9, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296320/impact-of-experience-in-prison-on-employment-status-of-longer-sentenced-prisoners.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296320/impact-of-experience-in-prison-on-employment-status-of-longer-sentenced-prisoners.pdf Shelf Number: 138146 Keywords: EmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentPrisoner RehabilitationRe-offendingRecidivism |
Author: Fredericksen, Allyson Title: Jobs after Jail: Ending the prison to poverty pipeline Summary: Each year an average of 630,000 people are released from state and federal prisons - for many, their prison record will be a life sentence of poverty and low wages. In addition to facing "the box" on job applications that asks about being convicted of a crime, they also face a raft of state restrictions banning them from certain occupations. Every state in the country bans formerly incarcerated people from specific jobs. Some states bar them from hundreds of jobs, often good-paying jobs. Today, the Alliance for a Just Society is releasing Jobs After Jail: Ending the Prison to Poverty Pipeline. The report analyzes the impact of policies that limit employment opportunities for people who have served jail or prison sentences. The findings underscore the urgency to "ban the box" in every state and at the federal level. However, the Jobs After Jail research also clearly shows the critical need to change the thousands of laws nationwide that restrict job opportunities, and keep families and communities struggling. A wide variety of jobs are barred, but depending on the state, they can include such work as a veterinarian, mortgage broker, or optometrist About 70 million people in the U.S have a felony or serious misdemeanor arrest or conviction that could impact their ability to find a job, locking a big part of our country out of stable, good-paying employment. Jobs After Jail includes first-person stories from formerly incarcerated people about the hurdles of finding a job, getting to work with restrictions on driving, checking "the box" on a college application, and juggling two or three low wage jobs to make ends meet. According to Jobs After Jail, nationwide there are more than 6,000 mandatory employment restrictions facing people who have served their sentence. "Our research shows that every state has jobs that formerly incarcerated people are banned from holding," said Allyson Fredericksen, the Alliance's policy analyst and author of the report. "Some states have more than 200 restricted jobs - and Louisiana has 389 restrictions. The result is a vast number of people who are sentenced to poverty." Recommendations from the report include: - Eliminate lifetime legislative bans to employment - Ban the box - the question about convictions on job applications. - Reform policies on court fines and fees and incarceration fees that leave people deep in debt after they are released. - Invest in businesses that pay high wages and employ formerly incarcerated people. Details: Seattle: Alliance for a Just Society, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2016 at: http://allianceforajustsociety.org/publications/publications-by-date/ Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://allianceforajustsociety.org/publications/publications-by-date/ Shelf Number: 138154 Keywords: Ex-offender EmploymentJobsPoverty |
Author: Bruns, Angela Title: Consequences of Partner Incarceration for Women's Employment Summary: As the rate of incarceration in the U.S. has increased, researchers have developed an interest in understanding the consequences of this expansion not only for current and former prisoners but also for their loved ones. This research has documented the limited opportunities men have to earn income while in prison and the difficulties they face finding employment upon release or earning decent wages when they do find work. However, little research has considered the relationship between men's incarceration and the employment of the women to which they are connected. The families of incarcerated individuals face a high degree of economic instability that is often exacerbated by family members' involvement with the penal system. This paper uses data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to investigate how men's incarceration is associated with the employment of their female partners, or women with whom they share children, as well as variation in this association. Results show that, on average, women's hours of work are not significantly impacted by the incarceration of their partners. However, there is a positive relationship between partner incarceration and employment among married women, white women and women experiencing the first imprisonment of their partners. Details: Princeton, NJ: Princeton University, 2016. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper: Accessed March 14, 2016 at: http://crcw.princeton.edu/workingpapers/WP16-01-FF.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://crcw.princeton.edu/workingpapers/WP16-01-FF.pdf Shelf Number: 138228 Keywords: EmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentFamilies of Inmates |
Author: Duwe, Grant Title: What Works with Minnesota Prisoners: A Summary of the Effects of Correctional Programming on Recidivism, Employment, and Cost Avoidance Summary: Since 2006, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) has completed more than 20 major research studies and program evaluations. Of these reports, 13 have evaluated programs that have operated within Minnesota DOC facilities. This report summarizes the impact of these programs on recidivism, post-release employment, and cost avoidance. Program Characteristics The characteristics of the 13 programs that have been evaluated are shown in Table 1. Three of the programs (MCORP, PRI, and SOAR) were prisoner reentry pilot projects that are no longer operating. As noted in Table 1, however, five other programs currently operating in the DOC focus on prisoner reentry. Five of the programs evaluated provide participants with educational/ employment programming. Two of the programs offer cognitive-behavioral programming (chemical dependency and sex offender treatment), while another two are early release programs (CIP and work release). The length of the programs ranges from a minimum of two months (work release and power of People) to a maximum of thirty (IFI). Seven of the programs deliver services in both prison and the community, while five offer programming only in prison. Work release was the only one evaluated that provides programming strictly in the community. Offenders placed on supervised release were the target populations for all three of the prisoner reentry programs that were evaluated. Of the remaining 10 programs, five include recidivism risk in the offender selection process, while the remaining five tend to target offenders in general. Of the five that incorporate risk into the selection process, two focus on lower-risk offenders because they are early release programs. Each of the 13 programs evaluated was designed to focus on one or more criminogenic needs (i.e., factors associated with recidivism). The most commonly addressed needs areas are anti-social cognition and education/employment (each of these needs areas is addressed by eight programs). Five of the programs target substance abuse, while three focus on anti-social associates. Program Evaluation Characteristics The descriptive characteristics for each program evaluation are provided in Table 2. With 3,570 offenders, the work release program evaluation has the largest sample size to date. The MnCOSA sample, on the other hand, is the smallest with 62 offenders. All but the chemical dependency (CD) treatment evaluation examined offenders released over a period of multiple years. At 9.3 years, the sex offender treatment evaluation had the longest average follow-up period. In contrast, the PRI evaluation had the shortest follow-up period (one year average). Three of the 13 evaluations used a randomized controlled trial (RCT), whereas the remaining ten used a retrospective quasi-experimental design (RQED). Propensity score matching has been used in eight of the ten RQED evaluations to match offenders from the treatment and comparison groups. Of the 13 evaluations, 9 have been published in peer-reviewed academic journals. Recidivism Recidivism is often considered the "gold standard" by which to measure the effectiveness of correctional programming. All 13 program evaluations included at least two measures of recidivism. Nine of the evaluations contained four separate recidivism measures. Because the education programming evaluation separately assessed the effects of earning secondary and post-secondary degrees in prison on several outcomes, two discrete program effects were included in Table 3. Of the 14 program effects examined, 9 were found to significantly decrease at least one measure of recidivism. For example, the results suggest that, relative to a comparison group of untreated offenders, participating in chemical dependency treatment significantly reduced the risk of rearrest for a new offense by 17 percent. Each program was ranked by the magnitude of its impact on each recidivism measure. In developing program rankings for each measure of recidivism, statistically significant results were given priority over those that were not statistically significant. At 55 percent, EMPLOY had the largest effect size for new offense reincarceration. MnCOSA had the largest effect sizes for rearrest and revocation, while IFI had the greatest impact on reconviction. Overall, EMPLOY was the only program to significantly reduce all four recidivism measures. Post-Release Employment Given that not all correctional programs are geared towards improving post-release employment outcomes for offenders, a little more than half (seven) of the evaluations have assessed program effects on at least one measure of employment. Of these seven, six evaluations utilized multiple measures of employment data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The results in Table 4 show that EMPLOY, work release, educational degrees, MCORP and IFI have each produced significant, positive findings regarding post-release employment. AHP and PRI did not yield significant, positive employment outcomes. Overall, work release and EMPLOY produced the best employment outcomes. For example, work release participants were roughly eight times more likely than a comparison group of offenders to find employment. EMPLOY participants, meanwhile, were 72 percent more likely to obtain post-release employment than a comparison group of offenders. Compared to their counterparts in the comparison groups, EMPLOY and work release participants worked, on average, 211 and 497 more hours, respectively, during the follow-up period. EMPLOY participants earned roughly $5,400 more, on average, than offenders in the comparison group. Work release participants earned about $4,800 more than those in the comparison group. Cost Avoidance Correctional programs can reduce costs in several ways. Most notably, programs that lower recidivism can generate costs avoided by decreasing victim costs, criminal justice costs (including police, courts, and prisons), and lost productivity of incarcerated offenders. Those that improve employment incomes can create a benefit by increasing income taxes that employed offenders pay to the state. And programs can also reduce costs by providing graduates with early release from prison to correctional supervision. The cost avoidance estimates for each of the 13 programs are shown in Table 5. Five of the programs (CIP, AHP, MnCOSA, work release, and MCORP) contain estimates that were developed at the time the program was evaluated. For the remaining eight program evaluations, cost avoidance estimates were calculated specifically for this report. The results indicate that 10 of the 13 programs evaluated have produced a cost avoidance to the state. The total costs avoided, however, are based, to some extent, on the total size of the sample. Costs avoided per participant, on the other hand, provides a standardized metric in which comparisons can be made across programs. The results show that AHP produced the largest costs avoided per participant. As noted in that evaluation, however, the vast majority of the costs avoided came from employers paying lower wages to AHP participants. EMPLOY had the next highest benefit per participant, followed by sex offender treatment, CD treatment and MnCOSA. Each of these programs generated an excess of $10,000 in costs avoided for every participant in the program. Table 5 also estimates the costs avoided that each program produces on an annual basis. Annual cost avoidance estimates were calculated by multiplying each programs' costs avoided per participant by the number of offenders who participate in the program each year. Given the large number of participants, coupled with the relatively high amount of costs avoided per participant, CD treatment produces more than $22 million in estimated costs avoided each year. Although education programming yields one of the lower costs avoided per participant (ninth out of 13), it can be delivered relatively inexpensively ($874 per participant) to a large number of offenders (approximately 1,350 earn a secondary or post-secondary degree in prison each year). As a result, education programming produces the second-highest annual costs avoided with an estimate of $3.18 million. At $2.86 million, sex offender treatment generates the third-highest annual costs avoided, followed closely by EMPLOY with $2.84 million. CIP yields nearly $2 million in estimated costs avoided each year, as does AHP. Overall, the ten programs producing costs avoided to the state combine for more than $36 million each year. CD treatment thus accounts for more than 60 percent of the total estimated annual amount. Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2013. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/PAGES/files/6213/9206/2384/What_Works_with_MN_Prisoners_July_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/PAGES/files/6213/9206/2384/What_Works_with_MN_Prisoners_July_2013.pdf Shelf Number: 138364 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsCost-Benefit AnalysisEx-Offender EmploymentRecidivismRehabilitationTreatment Programs |
Author: Ortiz, Natalie Rose Title: Second Chances, Safer Counties: Workforce Development and Reentry Summary: Getting formerly incarcerated individuals into good paying jobs helps the local economy and efforts to reduce recidivism. This month, NACo released Second Chances, Safer Counties: Workforce Development and Reentry, research examining how counties intersect workforce development and reentry. The study shows that reentry programs offer a way for counties to reintegrate formerly incarcerated residents into the labor market to keep them in the community and out of jail. The study finds that reentry programs are largely supported by the federal government, through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA is the federal statute that supports and governs the funding of a public workforce development system. WIOA expands workforce opportunities by increasing labor market access for individuals with employment barriers such as a criminal record. Local workforce development boards (local WDBs) put WIOA into action. Counties are involved in more than 90 percent of the nation's 557 local workforce development boards. With the support of the National Association of Workforce Boards, NACo surveyed local WDBs to better understand how counties collaborate in reentry programs developed by local WDBs. Nearly half (47 percent) of local WDBs responding to NACo's survey operate a reentry program. Federal funding helps local WDBs and counties to innovate and provide reentry programs that improve county economies and reduce crime. Two-thirds of local WDBs with a reentry program receive more than 50 percent of program funding from the federal government, according to this new research. WIOA provided more than $3.2 billion to states and local areas in 2015 for education, training and employment services that grow county economies. County governments benefit directly from reentry programs. County jails assist local WDBs by providing inmates with information on workforce services available in the community. A large majority (92 percent) of responding local WDBs with reentry programs indicate that individuals who are incarcerated or released from county jails or juvenile detention centers receive program services. Reentry programs report success in increasing the number of formerly incarcerated individuals employed and reducing recidivism, including new arrests and incarceration. Funding is vital to the ability of counties to improve their economies and reduce crime. More than half of local WDBs identify funding as a major challenge to creating or maintaining reentry programs that reintegrate formerly incarcerated individuals. The issue of funding will only become more serious for counties as the federal government and many states have recently enacted, or are currently considering, policies that reduce incarceration. These policies would enable prisoners to return to their communities, which will increase the demand for reentry services. A decline in funding for reentry programs would reduce resources at a time when reliable and adequate funding is necessary to meet public safety and policy goals. Local workforce development boards partner with a wide network of agencies and organizations to improve reentry and employment for formerly incarcerated individuals. The reentry program in Clackamas County, Ore. is a joint effort between the Clackamas Workforce Partnership, the Clackamas Health, Housing and Human Services Department and the Clackamas County Sheriff. In 2012, the three agencies received a Department of Labor grant to provide formerly incarcerated women with educational and employment opportunities. The grant has since expired, but the program continues to be funded by the Clackamas Workforce Partnership. Bridget Dazey, executive director, Clackamas Workforce Partnership, said, "Through our partnerships, we now have one workforce system to serve our population rather than three disjointed programs, making us better able to support our residents." Counties are centrally situated in the workforce development and justice systems to help realize the public safety and economic benefits of reentry and employment. The county role in local WDBs facilitates the partnership that implements and delivers reentry programs to reintegrate individuals into the workforce and reduce recidivism. Reentry programs are part of larger county efforts to maintain public safety while reducing the jail population and jail costs, including preventing jail inmates from cycling in and out of county jails. - Details: Washington, DC: National Association of Counties, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2016 at: http://www.naco.org/resources/second-chances-safer-counties-workforce-development-and-reentry Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.naco.org/resources/second-chances-safer-counties-workforce-development-and-reentry Shelf Number: 138446 Keywords: Employment ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentPrisoner Reentry |
Author: Rodriguez, Michelle Natividad Title: Unlicensed and Untapped: Removing Barriers to State Occuptional Licenses for People with Records Summary: Nearly one in three U.S. adults has a record in the criminal justice system. It's hardly uncommon, but the resulting stigma and its lifelong consequences prove devastating for many. Sonja Blake is one of the estimated 70 million people in the United States who have an arrest or conviction record. Ms. Blake, a grandmother, cared for children at her Wisconsin in-home daycare center.[ii] After nearly a decade in business, her daycare-owner certification was permanently revoked after a change in state law, because of a 30-year-old misdemeanor conviction for overpayment of public assistance. conviction for overpayment of public assistance. Ms. Blake is one of the more than one-quarter of U.S. workers who require a state license to practice their occupations.[iii] In addition to the more typically known regulated jobs, such as nurses and teachers, many occupations in sales, management, and construction also require a state license. Critics of licensing argue that regulating occupations does little to advance safety or quality of service and instead negatively impacts consumers and low-wage workers. Others counter that state licensing for certain jobs is necessary to maintain public safety and results in higher practitioner wages and greater respect for the profession. Despite this disagreement over the value of licensing, common ground can be found in the call to reduce unnecessary conviction barriers to occupational licenses. Passing a criminal background check is a common requirement to obtain a state license. In fact, the American Bar Association's inventory of penalties against those with a record has documented 27,254 state occupational licensing restrictions. Thousands of these restrictions vary widely among states and professions. And because the criminal justice system disproportionately impacts people of color, these extrajudicial penalties - known as "collateral consequences" - perpetuate racial disparities in employment. Although no national data exists as to the number of people denied licenses because of these collateral consequences, analogous data is available in the hiring context. For example, after submitting a job application, people with records on average are only half as likely to get a callback as those without a record. And for black men with records, the impact is more severe - only one in three receive a callback. Thus, having a conviction record, particularly for people of color, is a major barrier to participation in the labor market. Details: National Employment Law Project, 2016. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2016 at: http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/Unlicensed-Untapped-Removing-Barriers-State-Occupational-Licenses.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/Unlicensed-Untapped-Removing-Barriers-State-Occupational-Licenses.pdf Shelf Number: 138836 Keywords: Background ChecksCollateral ConsequencesCriminal RecordsEmploymentEx-offender Employment |
Author: Zatz, Noah Title: Get To Work or Go To Jail: Workplace Rights Under Threat Summary: When many people consider work and the criminal justice system, they commonly consider how difficult it is for people coming out of jail to find work. Yet, a recent UCLA Labor Center report, Get to Work or Go To Jail: Workplace Rights Under Threat, goes further by exploring the ways in which the criminal justice system can also lock workers on probation, parole, facing court-ordered debt, or child support debt into bad jobs. Because these workers face the threat of incarceration for unemployment, the report finds that they cannot afford to refuse a job, quit a job, or to challenge their employers. Among other findings, the report concludes: - Nearly 5 million Americans and 400,000 Californians are under probation or parole - Many of these workers may be stripped of standard labor protections such such as minimum wage and workers compensation - On any given day, about 9,000 nationwide are in prison or jail for violating the probation or parole requirement to hold a job. - Every year in Los Angeles, 50,000-100,000 people must perform unpaid, court-order community service. Some debtors perform many hundreds of hours of unpaid labor, the equivalent to several months of full-time work. - African Americans or Latinos account for 2/3 of those incarcerated for violating parole or probation conditions related to work or debt. - The majority of fathers who were incarcerated for failing to pay child support worked during the previous year, in fact 95% of fathers reported having been employed prior to incarceration. Of these fathers, 85% of these fathers lived in or near poverty. Details: Los Angeles: UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, UCLA Labor Center, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2016 at: http://www.labor.ucla.edu/publication/get-to-work-or-go-to-jail/ Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.labor.ucla.edu/publication/get-to-work-or-go-to-jail/ Shelf Number: 138838 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentParoleesProbationers |
Author: Giles, Margaret Title: Study in prison reduces recidivism and welfare dependence: A case study from Western Australia 2005-2010 Summary: Using a longitudinal dataset of prisoners in Western Australia, this paper describes the effectiveness of correctional education in improving post-release outcomes. The report shows that the more classes completed by prisoners the lower the rate of re-incarceration and the less likely they are to increase the seriousness of their offending. These, and other personal and societal benefits such as a reduction in welfare dependence, were positively associated with the number of classes prisoners successfully completed - that is, the more classes the inmate successfully completes, the less likely they are to reoffend and to access unemployment benefits. Much has been written about how correctional education contributes to post-release outcomes for ex-prisoners. In their systematic review of 50 studies of the effectiveness of correctional education, Davis et al. (2013) found that study in prison unequivocally reduces post-release recidivism and, on average, increases post-release employment. Unlike most earlier studies of the impact of correctional education on recidivism and employment, including the primary studies included in the Davis et al. (2013) meta-analysis, this study uses five years of linked prison history, correctional education and income support payments data. Improved employment and offending outcomes may better enable offenders to successfully reintegrate into their communities, and could produce cost savings into the future for justice authorities and social welfare services. This paper reports on the contribution of correctional education to reducing recidivism and welfare dependence (as a proxy for unemployment) for ex-prisoners in Western Australia. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 514: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi514.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi514.pdf Shelf Number: 138896 Keywords: Correctional EducationEx-offender EmploymentRecidivismRehabilitationUnemploymentVocational Education and Training |
Author: Bales, William D. Title: As Assessment of the Effectiveness of Prison Work Release Programs on Post-Release Recidivism and Employment Summary: This study evaluates the effectiveness of prison-based work release centers in terms of reducing post-prison recidivism and employment and determines whether privately operated work release centers produce different outcomes compared to state operated programs under the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC). Work release is a community transition program in which prison inmates are housed in community-based facilities and work in the community during normal business hours. While the FDC originally implemented work release programs four decades ago, there has been little empirical research on its effectiveness in promoting post-release employment and reducing recidivism. While there are a few exceptions, the existing literature reporting research conducted to determine the effectiveness of work release can be summarized as largely outdated, lacking methodological rigor, and has failing to examine differences in outcomes across publicly versus privately operated work release facilities. Through support from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), this study uses data from the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) through a researcher-practitioner partnership funded project to assess the impact of work release programs on the post-release outcomes of employment and various indicators of recidivism, and to determine if there are differential outcomes across privately operated versus state run programs. First, we examine the differences in post-prison recidivism outcomes using several different measures as well as employment of 27,463 inmates released from Florida's prison between 2004 and 2011 who completed a work release program with 15,911 non-participants who met the criterion for placement in a work release program but were not exposed during their incarceration. Second, we examine comparisons of these same outcomes between inmates who completed work release in FDC-operated work release facilities versus privately contracted facilities. Third, we examine whether the impact of work release programs on post-prison outcomes varies across inmates with different characteristics, including gender, race, age at prison release, offense types, and post-prison release supervision. Findings indicate that inmates released from work release facilities compared to the control group of non-participants have significantly lower levels of recidivism as measured by arrest for any new crime, arrest for a new felony offense, and conviction for a new felony offense, however, they have higher rates of returning to prison. Additionally, work release is a highly significant influence on the likelihood of obtaining employment within the first quarter after release. When considering the type of work release facility inmates are exposed to, i.e., public versus private, we find no meaningful differences in terms of recidivism; however, inmates who completed a work release program in a privately operated facility are significantly more likely to find employment when returning to their communities. Finally, we examined whether differences existed in the relative effect of work release on the reentry outcomes of recidivism and employment across several characteristics of inmates. The results indicate there are meaningful variations in the outcomes across various demographic groups, offense types, and post-prison supervision status. The policy implications of this research are that the expansion of the use of prison-based work release programs can have a positive impact on reducing the overall recidivism rates of released prisoners and can significantly improve their post-prison employment potential. Details: Tallahassee: Florida Department of Corrections and Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2015. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/249845.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/249845.pdf Shelf Number: 139268 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentRecidivismRehabilitationWork Release |
Author: Agan, Amanda Title: Ban the Box, Criminal Records, and Statistical Discrimination: A Field Experiment Summary: "Ban-the-Box" (BTB) policies restrict employers from asking about applicants' criminal histories on job applications and are often presented as a means of reducing unemployment among black men, who disproportionately have criminal records. However, withholding information about criminal records could risk encouraging statistical discrimination: employers may make assumptions about criminality based on the applicant's race. To investigate this possibility as well as the effects of race and criminal records on employer callback rates, we sent approximately 15,000 fictitious online job applications to employers in New Jersey and New York City, in waves before and after each jurisdiction's adoption of BTB policies. Our causal effect estimates are based on a triple-differences design, which exploits the fact that many businesses' applications did not ask about records even before BTB and were thus unaffected by the law. Our results confirm that criminal records are a major barrier to employment, but they also support the concern that BTB policies encourage statistical discrimination on the basis of race. Overall, white applicants received 23% more callbacks than similar black applicants (38% more in New Jersey; 6% more in New York City; we also find that the white advantage is much larger in whiter neighborhoods). Employers that ask about criminal records are 62% more likely to call back an applicant if he has no record (45% in New Jersey; 78% in New York City) - an effect that BTB compliance necessarily eliminates. However, we find that the race gap in callbacks grows dramatically at the BTB-affected companies after the policy goes into effect. Before BTB, white applicants to BTB-affected employers received about 7% more callbacks than similar black applicants, but BTB increases this gap to 45%. Details: Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, School of Law, 2016. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: U of Michigan Law & Econ Research Paper No. 16-012 : Accessed June 28, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2795795 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2795795 Shelf Number: 139526 Keywords: Ban the BoxCriminal ConvictionsCriminal RecordsEx-offender EmploymentJob DiscriminationRacial Discrimination |
Author: Litwok, Daniel Title: Have You Ever Been Convicted of a Crime? The Effects of Juvenile Expungement on Crime, Educational, and Labor Market Outcomes Summary: Despite differing terminology, all fifty states and the District of Columbia have statutory remedies allow ing records of juvenile delinquency to be treated as if they do not exist , eliminating the possibility that a future college or employer may learn of the record. Whereas most states require a n application for such "expungement " of a juvenile record , in fourteen states the expungement is automatic. Ba sed on unique data obtained from three application states, I find that expungement is rarely used when an application is required. To study the effect of expungement on youths, I develop a conceptual model to consider the dynamic incentives created by automatic expungement that predicts an increase in the incen tives to initially commit crime but a reduction in the incentives to commit additional crime as an adult . Based on this model, I estimate the e ffects of expungement on juvenile arrest, recidivism as an adult , educational attainment , and future labor market outcomes . I find no response to the incentive for first time offenders in automatic states, but I do find a ne gative effect on long - term recidivism. I also find sizeable positive effect s of ex pungement on college attendance and future earnings . These findings suggest that expungement is beneficial to former offenders with limited social costs Details: East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University, Department of Economics, 2014. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Job Market Paper: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://econ.msu.edu/seminars/docs/Expungement%20112014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://econ.msu.edu/seminars/docs/Expungement%20112014.pdf Shelf Number: 139597 Keywords: Criminal RecordEducationEmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentExpungementJuvenile Crime |
Author: Marks, V Title: Lessons in Reentry from Successful Programs and Participants The Final Report of the Reentry Employment Opportunities Benchmarking Study Summary: This report summarizes observations and findings from a yearlong benchmarking study of the Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) program and highlights successful REO grantees and their practices in connecting justice-involved youth and adult returning citizens to work, education, and training programs. ICF International, with the support from the Ford Foundation, partnered with the Union Theological Seminary, Exodus Transitional Community, and Operation New Hope conducted this year-long benchmarking study to the Department of Labor's (DOL) employment-focused reentry programs. The REO grant programs help justice-involved youth and formerly incarcerated adults reengage society and the workforce, ultimately striving to minimize the economic and social costs to individuals, families, and communities associated with incarceration and recidivism. This study sought to answer several key questions: Which are the highest performance faith-based community (FBCO) REO grantees? What research-informed or promising practices are they using? What recommendations do FBCOs (and their youth and adult participants) have to improve services as new REO grant funding is considered? This final report encapsulated the key observations and takeaways from this benchmarking process and provides an overview of existing research on reentry best practices in four common REO practice and policy areas. It also describes specific FBCO program examples of how select high-performing organizations are implementing these practices in the field. Details: Fairfax, VA: ICF International, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://www.icfi.com/insights/reports/2016/lessons-in-reentry-from-successful-programs-and-participants Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 139608 Keywords: EmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentPrisoner Reentry |
Author: Bucknor, Cherrie Title: The Price We Pay: Economic Costs of Barriers to Employment for Former Prisoners and People Convicted of Felonies Summary: Despite modest declines in recent years, the large and decades-long blossoming of the prison population ensure that it will take many years before the United States sees a corresponding decrease in the number of former prisoners. Using data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), this report estimates that there were between 14 and 15.8 million working-age people with felony convictions in 2014, of whom between 6.1 and 6.9 million were former prisoners. Prior research has shown the adverse impact that time in prison or a felony conviction can have on a person's employment prospects. In addition to the stigma attached to a criminal record, these impacts can include the erosion of basic job skills, disruption of formal education, and the loss of social networks that can improve job-finding prospects. Those with felony convictions also face legal restrictions that lock them out of many government jobs and licensed professions. Assuming a mid-range 12 percentage-point employment penalty for this population, this report finds that there was a 0.9 to 1.0 percentage-point reduction in the overall employment rate in 2014, equivalent to the loss of 1.7 to 1.9 million workers. In terms of the cost to the economy as a whole, this suggests a loss of about $78 to $87 billion in annual GDP. Some highlights of this study include: - Between 6.0 and 6.7 percent of the male working-age population were former prisoners, while between 13.6 and 15.3 percent were people with felony convictions. - Employment effects were larger for men than women, with a 1.6 to 1.8 percentage-point decline in the employment rate of men and a 0.12 to 0.14 decline for women. - Among men, those with less than a high school degree experienced much larger employment rate declines than their college-educated peers, with a drop of 7.3 to 8.2 percentage points in the employment rates of those without a high school degree and a decline of 0.4 to 0.5 percentage points for those with college experience. - Black men suffered a 4.7 to 5.4 percentage-point reduction in their employment rate, while the equivalent for Latino men was between 1.4 and 1.6 percentage points, and for white men it was 1.1 to 1.3 percentage points. This paper updates earlier CEPR research that also examined the impact of former prisoners and those with felony convictions on the economy. Details: Washington, DC: Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2016. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2016 at: http://cepr.net/images/stories/reports/employment-prisoners-felonies-2016-06.pdf?v=5 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://cepr.net/images/stories/reports/employment-prisoners-felonies-2016-06.pdf?v=5 Shelf Number: 139788 Keywords: EmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentFelony Offenders |
Author: Troshynski, Emily Title: Prisoner Reentry in Nevada: Final Report on the Hope for Prisoners Program Summary: This document examines Hope for Prisoners - a prisoner reentry program in Nevada. Specifically, the research focuses on the impact of the program on participant employment and recidivism outcomes. The research procedures involved both quantitative and qualitative methods; data were gathered from case files and interviews with program participants and program mentors. The sample consisted of 1,186 individuals who completed intake interviews at Hope during an 18- month period (January 2014 - June 2015). The sample was ethnically diverse (approximately 30% White) with an average age of 37. 78% were male and 84% were single. For those who self-reported their most recent offense, 43% indicated violence, 28% reported property crime, 20% reported drug offenses, and 9% indicated a sex crime. Of the 522 individuals who completed the job readiness training course, 64% found stable employment. Of those employed, 25% found employment within 17 days of the training course. Only 6% of these 522 individuals were reincarcerated during the 18-month study period. For participants, Hope for Prisoner's mentor program appears to be a key component of the reentry initiative. Analyses demonstrate that participants with mentors were more likely to find employment. Interview data confirm the importance of mentors in terms of finding employment and also suggest the value of mentors in terms of preventing recidivism. Details: Las Vegas, NV: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Center for Crime and Justice Policy, 2016. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: CCJP 2016-01: Accessed July 23, 2016 at: https://www.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/page_files/27/PrisonerReentry.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/page_files/27/PrisonerReentry.pdf Shelf Number: 139803 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentMentoringPrisoner ReentryRecidivismVocational Education and Training |
Author: Bonner, A. Title: Fair-Chance Hiring in Action: A Study of San Francisco's Centralized Conviction History Review Program Summary: This report, published by Stanford University, focuses on the outcomes of the San Francisco Department of Human Resources' (DHR) fair-chance hiring policies (FCHP). The report evaluates how the DHR decides whether job seekers whose criminal backgrounds may conflict with the job they are applying for have been sufficiently rehabilitated and will achieve success. Multiple regression analysis is used to compare the job success of candidates with conviction histories against candidates without. The report also suggests data collection and management practices that may enhance DHR's process and assist other entities interested in implementing FCHPs. Details: Palo Alto, CA: Public Policy Program, Stanford University, 2016. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2016 at: https://stanford.app.box.com/s/oxkjojpr6opcw1ky5zrzy7o02e9nae85 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://stanford.app.box.com/s/oxkjojpr6opcw1ky5zrzy7o02e9nae85 Shelf Number: 148123 Keywords: Criminal RecordsEmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentJobs |
Author: Prison Reform Trust Title: Working it out: Employment for women offenders Summary: Executive summary - Employment outcomes for women following short prison sentences are three times worse than for men - fewer than one in ten women have a job to go to on release - Lack of childcare support, lack of qualifications, and low pay are barriers to employment for many women offenders - Employment is one of the nine pathways to reducing reoffending for women but much more can be done to tackle employer prejudice and reluctance to employ former offenders - Lack of women-only unpaid work placements constrains the use of appropriate community sentences for women - Community services such as women's centres are uniquely placed to help women offenders, and those at risk of offending, address individual barriers to employment and support them to build the skills, training and confidence they need to get ready for work - Women are more likely than men to have claimed out-of-work benefits prior to, and post, time in custody - In a recent survey of women prisoners, 61% said they would like paid employment of some kind on release, with a further 27% wanting to do voluntary work - The release on temporary licence (ROTL) scheme facilitates day-release for women in prison to undertake work and training opportunities in the community and reduces the risk of reoffending but is underused and under threat - The new statutory provision requiring probation and resettlement services to identify and address women's specific rehabilitation needs must be carefully monitored to ensure it delivers the intended improvements, particularly to employment opportunities and outcomes - The government should implement a strategy to increase employment opportunities and programmes for women with criminal convictions - this should include employer incentives. Details: London: Prison Reform Trust, 2015. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/Women/Employmentbriefing.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/Women/Employmentbriefing.pdf Shelf Number: 139851 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentFemale OffendersGender Specific ResponsesPrisoner Reentry |
Author: Emsellem, Maurice Title: Racial Profiling in Hiring: A Critique of New Summary: Two recent studies claim that "ban the box" policies enacted around the country detrimentally affect the employment of young men of color who do not have a conviction record. One of the authors has boldly argued that the policy should be abandoned outright because it "does more harm than good." It's the wrong conclusion. The nation cannot afford to turn back the clock on a decade of reform that has created significant job opportunities for people with records. These studies require exacting scrutiny to ensure that they are not irresponsibly seized upon at a critical time when the nation is being challenged to confront its painful legacy of structural discrimination and criminalization of people of color. Our review of the studies leads us to these top-line conclusions: (1) The core problem raised by the studies is not ban-the-box but entrenched racism in the hiring process, which manifests as racial profiling of African Americans as "criminals." (2) Ban-the-box is working, both by increasing employment opportunities for people with records and by changing employer attitudes toward hiring people with records. (3) When closely scrutinized, the new studies do not support the conclusion that ban-the-box policies are responsible for the depressed hiring of African Americans. (4) The studies highlight the need for a more robust policy response to both boost job opportunities for people with records and tackle race discrimination in the hiring process -not a repeal of ban-the-box laws. Details: New York: National Employment Law Project, 2016. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed September 16, 2016 at: http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/Policy-Brief-Racial-Profiling-in-Hiring-Critique-New-Ban-the-Box-Studies.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.nelp.org/content/uploads/Policy-Brief-Racial-Profiling-in-Hiring-Critique-New-Ban-the-Box-Studies.pdf Shelf Number: 140317 Keywords: Ban the BoxCriminal RecordsDiscriminationEx-offender EmploymentRacial Profiling |
Author: Klein, Joyce Title: Prison to Proprietor: Entrepreneurship as a Re-Entry Strategy Summary: Returning individuals face substantial hurdles in securing work including limited resumes, employer perceptions regarding those who have served time in prison, and legal restrictions that limit the hiring of individuals with certain classes of convictions. As a result, recidivism rates are high as formerly-incarcerated individuals are left with few options for employment. Given the disproportionate rate of incarceration among Blacks and Latinos, the inability to successfully re-enter the community also disproportionately affects communities already suffering from low levels of wealth and income. During the past decade, a small but growing number of funders have supported organizations developing programs that use business ownership and entrepreneurship to support successful re-entry into the community. Some programs work with individuals while they are still in prison, helping them to prepare for their release. Others work with returning individuals who have found some sort of stability and are seeking to create a business that can offer the potential to generate greater wealth, flexibility, and potential for economic mobility than a low-wage job. Mostly funded by philanthropy, these initiatives show great promise in reducing recidivism and enabling returning community members to generate income. This brief examines how connecting formerly-incarcerated individuals who are returning to the community to entrepreneurship can provide a second chance at opportunity. By analyzing research findings and several programs that currently serve individuals returning to communities, this paper discusses why grantmakers, particularly asset funders concerned with issues of racial equity, should take a closer look at this strategy while also providing recommendations for action. Details: Evanston, IL: Asset Funders Network, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2016 at: http://assetfunders.org/images/pages/AFN_2016_Prison_to_Proprietor.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://assetfunders.org/images/pages/AFN_2016_Prison_to_Proprietor.pdf Shelf Number: 147926 Keywords: EmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentJobsPrisoner Re-Entry |
Author: Bhuller, Manudeep Title: Incarceration, Recidivism and Employment Summary: Understanding whether, and in what situations, time spent in prison is criminogenic or preventive has proven challenging due to data availability and correlated unobservables. This paper overcomes these challenges in the context of Norway's criminal justice system, offering new insights into how incarceration affects subsequent crime and employment. We construct a panel dataset containing the criminal behavior and labor market outcomes of the entire population, and exploit the random assignment of criminal cases to judges who differ systematically in their stringency in sentencing defendants to prison. Using judge stringency as an instrumental variable, we find that imprisonment discourages further criminal behavior, and that the reduction extends beyond incapacitation. Incarceration decreases the probability an individual will reoffend within 5 years by 27 percentage points, and reduces the number of offenses over this same period by 10 criminal charges. In comparison, OLS shows positive associations between incarceration and subsequent criminal behavior. This sharp contrast suggests the high rates of recidivism among ex-convicts is due to selection, and not a consequence of the experience of being in prison. Exploring factors that may explain the preventive effect of incarceration, we find the decline in crime is driven by individuals who were not working prior to incarceration. Among these individuals, imprisonment increases participation in programs directed at improving employability and reducing recidivism, and ultimately, raises employment and earnings while discouraging further criminal behavior. Contrary to the widely embraced 'nothing works' doctrine, these findings demonstrate that time spent in prison with a focus on rehabilitation can indeed be preventive. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2016. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper Series: Working Paper 22648: Accessed September 19, 2016 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w22648.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w22648.pdf Shelf Number: 147955 Keywords: EmploymentEx-offender EmploymentIncarcerationJobsRecidivism |
Author: Berracasa, Colenn Title: The Impact of Ban the Box in the District of Columbia Summary: Why ODCA Did This Audit The District's Fair Criminal Record Screening Amendment Act of 20141 (FCRSA) instructed the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor to provide the D.C. Council with a report on the impact of this act on employers. What We Found This report evaluates the implementation and impact of FCRSA, more commonly known as "ban the box." The law prevents employers located within the District from asking about a job applicant's criminal record until after a conditional offer of employment is made, and the law also limits the reasons for which those employers may retract an offer of employment made to a person with a criminal record. The law is designed to "remove unfair barriers to employment" and allow "returning citizens" - people who have served time in jail or prison and who are reintegrating into society - to get a "foot in the door." This report reflects fieldwork conducted from January through late April 2016. Our research aimed to assess the implementation of the law, to evaluate its effects on hiring outcomes for returning citizens (specifically on hiring within the District government), and to evaluate its impact on private-sector employers. To investigate these questions, we used several methods: analysis of District government administrative data, a private employer survey, and interviews with a subset of private employers. We were limited to reviewing District Department of Human Resources (DCHR) hiring data for District government hires due to lack of availability of the same private-sector data on hiring outcomes for returning citizens. In examining the law's implementation to date, we found that many businesses reported being unfamiliar with the law based on our surveys and interviews. Then, looking at enforcement of the law, we found many complaints against employers filed with the District's Office of Human Rights (OHR) (over 417 within the first nine months); however, 95 addresses account for most of the complaints. Of the 417 complaints, 71 have resulted in monetary settlements and 89 were closed. The complaints data show that some employers did not follow the requirements of the law and thus appear consistent with our survey and interview finding that many employers reported being unfamiliar with the law. These two findings inform our first and second recommendations about the District government's public outreach regarding the law. Additionally, the small number of individuals submitting complaints may indicate that many returning citizens are not aware of their rights under the law; thus, our fourth recommendation suggests the District government review its processes for informing returning citizens of their rights. When analyzing the effects of the law on hiring outcomes for returning citizens, we found that District agencies did increase the share of hires of returning citizens for positions requiring a background check. However, the lack of comparable private-sector data informed our fifth recommendation that the District government conduct further research on hiring outcomes for returning citizens. Finally, in analyzing the law's effect on private employers' hiring practices, we found that the law likely does not apply to many District businesses; in fact, just 25 percent of the businesses we surveyed reporting being subject to the law's effects. Additionally, a majority of employers reported minimal impact on their hiring processes. Finally, a minority of businesses reported some impact, indicating that the law increased the cost, length and/or complexity of their hiring processes. This concern over the burden of the law resulted in our third recommendation that the District government should consider providing technical assistance or tools for private employers to share best practices for complying with the law. Overall, many District businesses interviewed support the spirit of the law. What We Recommend: 1. The Mayor and Council should direct more resources to outreach and public education to ensure that all District businesses are aware of the requirements under FCRSA. 2. The Council should consider including a requirement that implementing agencies develop a public outreach and education plan -and funding to support it - in all future pieces of legislation that make substantial changes to employment law and worker rights. 3. The Mayor should consider instructing relevant District agencies to provide technical assistance or create tools for employers to share best practices to increase compliance and minimize costs and procedural burdens. 4. The District should conduct further research on the impact that FCRSA has had on returning citizens' experiences and job outcomes. Details: Washington, DC: Office of the District of Columbia Auditor, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2016 at: http://www.dcauditor.org/sites/default/files/FCRSA%20-%20Ban%20the%20Box%20Report_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.dcauditor.org/sites/default/files/FCRSA%20-%20Ban%20the%20Box%20Report_0.pdf Shelf Number: 148135 Keywords: Background ChecksBan the BoxCriminal RecordsEx-Offender Employment |
Author: Brookes, Lorna Title: Two Qualitative Studies Reviewing the Perspective of Doubly Disadvantaged Adult Prisoners on Pursuing Education, Training or Employment (ETE) Post-Release Summary: This report combines the findings of two qualitative study conducted on behalf or IMPACT in 2006. This research focused upon two cohorts: female prisoners of working age and male prisoners aged 50 to 65 years. Both of these groups are considered to be especially doubly disadvantaged in the labour market due to their criminal records in combination with common restrictive factors pertinent to their individual populations. Details: Liverpool: Liverpool Hope University, 2007? 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2016 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242535713_Two_Qualitative_Studies_Reviewing_the_Perspective_of_Doubly_Disadvantaged_Adult_Prisoners_on_Pursuing_Education_Training_or_Employment_ETE_Post-Release Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242535713_Two_Qualitative_Studies_Reviewing_the_Perspective_of_Doubly_Disadvantaged_Adult_Prisoners_on_Pursuing_Education_Training_or_Employment_ETE_Post-Release Shelf Number: 146691 Keywords: Aged OffendersEx-offender Employment |
Author: Foster, Rowan Title: Evaluation of the Employment and Reoffending Pilot: Lessons learnt from the planning and early implementation phase Summary: The evaluation of the Employment and Reoffending Pilot aims to draw out lessons learned from its design, development, implementation and delivery, including any reasons for the results it achieves, providing valuable learning to inform the implementation of Transforming Rehabilitation. This report contains findings from the first phase of the evaluation, covering the set-up and first six months of operation of the pilot. Annex D - Topic Guides used in the Employment and Reoffending Pilot Evaluation is published as a separated document alongside this report. Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2013. 54p., annex. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265287/employment-reoffending-pilot.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265287/employment-reoffending-pilot.pdf Shelf Number: 146640 Keywords: Ex-offender EmploymentOffender RehabilitationRe-offendingRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Rampey, Bobby D. Title: Highlights from the U.S. PIAAC Survey of Incarcerated Adults: Their Skills, Work Experience, Education, and Training: Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies: 2014 Summary: he U.S. PIAAC Survey of Incarcerated Adults was designed to provide policymakers, administrators, educators, and researchers with information to improve educational and training opportunities for incarcerated adults and foster skills they need in order to return to, and work successfully in, society upon release from prison. This report highlights data from the survey's extensive background questionnaire and direct assessments of cognitive skills. It examines the skills of incarcerated adults in relationship to their work experiences and to their education and training in prison. Results for incarcerated adults on the literacy and numeracy domains are presented in two ways: (1) as scale scores (estimated on a 0-500 scale), and (2) as percentages of adults reaching the proficiency levels established for each of these domains. The report includes results for groups of incarcerated adults by various characteristics, including employment prior to incarceration, experiences with prison jobs, skills certifications, educational attainment in prison, and participation in academic programs and training classes. Details: U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, 2016. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2016 at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016040.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016040.pdf Shelf Number: 140238 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsEducational ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentPrisoner ReentryVocational Education and Training |
Author: Wang, Eugene W. Title: Windham School District Evaluation: Post-Release Wage-Earning and Recidivism Outcomes Summary: Windham School District (WSD) is the education provider for offenders within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). WSD is required to complete a biennial evaluation and report of the effectiveness of its program, in accordance with S.B. 213 Sec 19.0041. WSD has compiled data regarding participation in its programs, including academic programs, vocational training, and life skills programs. Researchers at Texas Tech University's Institute for Measurement, Methodology, Analysis and Policy (IMMAP) performed analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of WSD programming by examining correlations between program attendance and completion and outcomes in areas such as institutional disciplinary violations, GED attainment and grade-level gains, and post-release wage-earning and subsequent arrests and confinements. The following report provides detailed results and findings for the above analyses. These analyses are based on WSD educational data for all offenders released during the 2010-2011 fiscal years. For offenders who were released during the 2010-2011 school year, those released in 2011 do not have complete data pertaining to the definitions for subsequent arrests and subsequent confinements during the three years post-release. An explanation for interpretation of this incomplete data is provided within the report. S.B. 213 Sec. 19.0041, titled “Program Data Collection and Biennial Evaluation and Report”, requires Windham School District (WSD) to compile and analyze information to determine whether its programs are meeting its goals, to make changes to the programs as necessary, and to submit a report to the Board, the Legislature, and the Governor’s office. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of its programs, WSD is required to conduct a biennial evaluation and report regarding the effectiveness for each of its programs, including performance-based information and data related to academic, vocational training, and life skills programs, specifically in the following areas: 1. Institutional Disciplinary Violations 2. Subsequent Arrests 3. Subsequent Confinements 4. The Cost of Confinement 5. Educational Achievement 6. High school equivalency examination passage 7. The kind of training services provided 8. The kind of employment the person obtains on release 9. Whether the employment was related to training 10. The difference between the amount of the person’s earnings on the date employment is obtained following release and the amount of those earnings on the first anniversary of that date 11. The retention factors associated with the employment Details: Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University, Institute for Measurement, Methodology, Analysis & Policy, 2014. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2016 at: http://www.windhamschooldistrict.org/images/PDF/other/Windham_School_District_Evaluation_Post-Release_Wage-Earning_Recidivism_Outcomes.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.windhamschooldistrict.org/images/PDF/other/Windham_School_District_Evaluation_Post-Release_Wage-Earning_Recidivism_Outcomes.pdf Shelf Number: 140311 Keywords: Correctional Education ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentRecidivism |
Author: Hill, Leslie Brooke Title: Becoming the Person Your Dog Thinks You Are: An Assessment of Florida Prison-Based Dog Training Programs on Prison Misconduct, Post-Release Employment and Recidivism Summary: Dog Training Programs have recently become a popular rehabilitative program within correctional facilities. They are present in all 50 states as well as many other countries. However, the empirical literature on the effectiveness of these popular programs is sparse. Using a cohort of inmates released from Florida prisons between the years of 2004-2011 (n=181,547) this study examines the effectiveness of dog training programs on prison misconduct, post-release employment and recidivism. Findings indicate that participation in a dog training program can lead to reductions prison misconduct and reductions in the likelihood and timing of re-arrest. Among those who participated in dog training programs, longer duration, recency of participation, continuity of treatment and being in the program at release emerge as predictors of reductions in prison misconduct and re-arrest and increasing obtaining employment upon release. Due to promising findings, policy implications are discussed as well as potential avenues for future research. Details: Tallahassee: Florida State University, 2016. 186p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 14, 2016 at: http://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu%3A360369 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu%3A360369 Shelf Number: 140442 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsDog Training ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentPrison ProgramsPrisoner MisconductPrisoner ReentryRecidivismRehabilitation Programs |
Author: Giles, Margaret Title: Prisoner education and training, and other characteristics: Western Australia, July 2005 to June 2010 Summary: Spending public funds on educating and training prisoners can generate a significant return on investment, because as this report argues, studying in prison can reduce costly recidivism and improve life outcomes for ex-prisoners. What are the costs of recidivism? Let's start with incarceration. Prisoners cost money - about $110,000 per prisoner a year. With over 4,000 prisoners in WA prisons at any one time and a turnover of 8,000 prisoners per year, incarceration is a costly business. In addition, there are policing and legal costs related to finding, charging and sentencing alleged offenders; as well as costs to the community in relation to property damage, insurance premium increases, lives lost and harm and trauma to victims of crime. Reducing recidivism alone can therefore bring about huge cost savings to the government and the community. Then there’s the cost of welfare dependence. In the short term, these include payments to families of incarcerated breadwinners and unemployment benefits for ex-prisoners; just two of the many different types of welfare payments administered by Centrelink. In the longer term, intergenerational welfare looms for an increasing number of disenfranchised, unskilled and unemployed workers, including ex-prisoners who are further disadvantaged by having a criminal record. Improving employability and reducing welfare dependence can therefore reduce demand on the public purse, as well as promote more productive lives. In Western Australia, considerable efforts have been made by the WA Department of Corrective Services (DCS) to reduce recidivism and improve individual and community outcomes. Internal reviews of offending behaviour by the Education and Vocational Training Unit (EVTU), which has provided courses and classes in Western Australia prisons for many years, show proportionately fewer repeat offences by ex-prisoners who studied in prison, compared with those who did not. Missing from these reviews however is the bigger picture. This research project demonstrates how studying in prison can lead to better labour market outcomes and reduced recidivism, and provides an evaluation of the resulting impact on welfare utilisation. This report is the first of three and summarises the prison training data. It indicates that the Western Australia prison population is diverse, and as can be seen from the class and course profiles, prisoners have varied education and training experiences. Details: Joondalup WA, Australia: Edith Cowan University, Centre for Innovative Practice, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2017 at: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1586&context=ecuworks2011 Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1586&context=ecuworks2011 Shelf Number: 144920 Keywords: Correctional Education Ex-offender EmploymentRecidivism Rehabilitation Unemployment Vocational Education and Training |
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Work and Pensions Committee Title: Support for Ex-offenders. Fifth Report of Session 2016-17 Summary: The Government's own assessment of the prison system is that it fails to rehabilitate or make sure criminals are prevented from reoffending. The cost to the taxpayer of reoffending stands at around L15 billion per year. It is in society's interest to bring this cost down. Members of this Committee have assisted constituents with firsthand experience of failures in rehabilitation; individuals leaving prison with no fixed accommodation, no financial support and no prospect of finding work. Employment significantly reduces the chances of reoffending. It can also lead to other positive outcomes that have been shown to reduce reoffending, such as financial security and finding a safe and permanent home. We have heard from businesses who have successfully worked with prisons to get ex-offenders into jobs but more employers must follow suit. Individuals entering prison have a range of complex needs. Nearly one-third report a learning difficulty or disability and almost half report having no school qualifications. They enter a prison system where the landscape of education and employment support is fragmented, and good practice is patchy and inconsistent. Added to this are the challenges of rising levels of violence in prisons, a reduction in prison officer numbers and pressure on capacity. Education and employment in prison The problem of employment support in prison is partly one of coordination. Currently, there is no clear strategy for how different agencies, in different prisons, should work together to achieve the common goal of getting ex-offenders into work. We urge the Government to state clearly who has ultimate responsibility for helping prison leavers into work. The Government, charities, employers and ex-offenders themselves all agree that the 'gold standard' of employment support involves employers working in prisons and offering work placements through Release on Temporary License. Over the course of this inquiry, we have seen many examples of good practice, such as work done by Blue Sky, a company that works to understand employer's labour needs, delivers training in prisons and places ex-offenders into jobs. Details: London: House of Commons, 2016. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Fifth Report of Session 2016-17; HC 58: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmworpen/58/58.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmworpen/58/58.pdf Shelf Number: 145020 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsEx-offender EmploymentInmate Work ProgramsPrisoner Education and TrainingPrisoner ReentryRehabilitation ProgramsReoffending |
Author: Cronin, Jake Title: The Path to Successful Reentry: The Relationship Between Correctional Education, Employment and Recidivism Summary: Nearly all Missouri inmates will be released from prison, but the majority of them will reoffend and return to prison. To combat this problem, prisons have implemented educational programs to help offenders successfully reenter society. Using data from the Missouri Department of Corrections, this study evaluates the impact of these educational programs in terms of post-prison employment rates and recidivism rates. The results show that inmates who increase their education in prison are more likely to find a full-time job after prison, and those with a job are less likely to return to prison. Details: Columbia, MO: Institute of Public Policy, Truman Policy Research, Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 15-2011: Accessed February 18, 2017 at: https://ipp.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/the_path_to_successful_reentry.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://ipp.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/the_path_to_successful_reentry.pdf Shelf Number: 146683 Keywords: Correctional EducationEducational ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentPrison EducationPrisoner ReentryRecidivism |
Author: Yahner, Jennifer Title: Validation of the Employment Retention Inventory: An Assessment Tool of the National Institute of Corrections Summary: Purpose This report summarizes findings from the first validation study of the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Employment Retention Inventory (ERI). The ERI is an assessment tool designed to detect potential job loss risks and needs among justice-involved and behavioral health populations. Scope From September 2013 to August 2016, the Urban Institute (Urban) worked collaboratively with NIC's Community Services Division to assess the ability of the ERI to predict employment-related risks and job loss among criminal justice-involved individuals in two diverse jurisdictions - Jackson County, OR and Allegheny County, PA. Researchers also examined the relationship between employment and recidivism. Methods In both study sites, individuals on probation and parole were recruited for study participation from May to October 2014; a total of 253 employed and 159 unemployed individuals participated in the study. Study participation included baseline completion of a short online survey in which the ERI was embedded, and collection of follow-up data on employment and recidivism eight and 12 months later, respectively. Findings Overall, items in the ERI showed strong face and content validity and readability at a 6th grade level, with study participants reporting ease and comfort in taking the computerized, self-administered questionnaire. Looking at the ERI's predictive validity, the instrument performed fair overall with excellent ratings for those in rural Jackson County. Findings also support a linkage between employment retention and recidivism. Next Steps A replication validation of the ERI is currently underway to assess the instrument's validity for a larger sample of individuals, covering the full array of employment experiences for justice-involved and behavioral health populations. The goal is to study the ERI's implementation in practice, when administered by NIC-trained Employment Retention Specialists and applied to individuals from a diversity of backgrounds. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2016. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2017 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/85331/validation-of-the-employment-retention-inventory_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/85331/validation-of-the-employment-retention-inventory_0.pdf Shelf Number: 146651 Keywords: EmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentJobsParoleesProbationersRecidivism |
Author: Duane, Marina Title: Criminal Background Checks: Impact on Employment and Recidivism Summary: Criminal background checks continue to be a routine practice among many employers in the United States. According to a recent survey, almost 60 percent of employers screen job applicants for their criminal histories. Despite their prevalence, criminal background checks often generate flawed or incomplete reports, with some reports failing to include conviction information. Such flaws may undermine the value of the screenings to employers and prevent suitable candidates who pose no additional risk to the public from securing a job. This report examines criminal background checks as a significant collateral consequence for justice-involved people and explores the importance of employment to reducing recidivism. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2017 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/88621/2017.03.01_criminal_background_checks_report_finalized.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/88621/2017.03.01_criminal_background_checks_report_finalized.pdf Shelf Number: 141332 Keywords: Criminal Background ChecksCriminal RecordsEmploymentEx-Offender EmploymentRecidivism |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons Title: Resettlement Provision for Adult Offenders: Accommodation and education, training and employment Summary: In April 2015 far reaching changes will be introduced to 'transform' the way that offenders are rehabilitated and to reduce the risk they reoffend. Offenders serving sentences of less than one year will be subject to statutory supervision. Support and supervision of low- and medium-risk offenders will pass from the probation service to voluntary and private sector providers commissioned through regional Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC). Higher-risk offenders will be supervised by a new national probation service. Offenders serving short sentences and those with less than three months to serve should be held in ‘resettlement prisons’, in or linked to the area in which they will be released. Resettlement services should be organised on a 'through the gate' basis, making greater use of mentors than at present and with providers paid in part according to the outcomes they achieve in reducing reoffending. The primary aim of this report is to inform the development of these new services by examining the effectiveness of existing arrangements to help offenders obtain suitable and sustainable accommodation and education, training and employment (ETE) on release as part of wider resettlement provision. The report follows a cohort of 80 offenders from prison through the gate into the community and identifies their accommodation and occupation status shortly before release, on release and one and six months later. The offenders in this study were chosen because they were already subject to statutory supervision on release as they were serving sentences of one year or more. We are confident that in the key areas there is a direct parallel with provision for offenders serving shorter sentences, although care should be taken in interpreting the results. It is important to recognise where there are differences, not least to ensure that the requirements of offenders serving longer sentences do not get overlooked in the pressure to establish the new arrangements. Many previous studies have highlighted the importance of accommodation and ETE to reducing reoffending. The Social Exclusion Report of 2002 indentified them as two of the critical resettlement pathways that have been the focus for much effort since, and the ‘Surveying Prisoners Crime Reduction’ survey a decade later unsurprisingly came to similar conclusions. Offenders themselves consistently tell us during inspections how important having somewhere secure and stable to live, and something constructive to do, is to staying out of trouble after they are released. The findings of this report are striking. Most importantly, it absolutely confirms the central importance of an offender’s family and friends to their successful rehabilitation. Of course, sometimes an offender’s family may be the victims of their crime and sometimes they may be a negative influence that contributes to their offending behaviour – we found a small number of examples of this in this inspection. However, overwhelmingly, this inspection confirmed our view that an offender’s family are the most effective resettlement agency. More than half the offenders in our cohort returned home or moved in with family and friends on release, even if this was only a temporary measure. The few who had a job on release had mainly arranged this with the help of previous employers, family or friends. Helping offenders maintain or restore relationships with their family and friends, where this is appropriate, should be central to the resettlement effort. But too often, these relationships are seen simply as a matter of visits which may be increased or reduced according to an offender’s behaviour. We found no evidence that families were involved in sentence planning for instance, even when an offender said they were relying on them for support after release. Too little account was taken of whether initial arrangements were sustainable and what continuing support might be needed. Of the 48 offenders who moved into their own home or with family and friends on release, a fifth had needed to move in with different family/friends when we checked on them after six months. What should happen, where possible, is resettlement work which helps the offender and his or her family to maintain or rebuild relationships; an assessment of any offer of support; and, where appropriate, involvement of the family in plans for release. We are concerned that work on family relationships that will continue to be provided, if at all, directly by the prison will not be integrated with work done by resettlement service providers. In contrast to the support provided by offenders’ family and friends, our findings in this report reinforce the criticism we have previously made about formal offender management arrangements in prisons1. We found that contact between offenders and offender supervisors or managers varied considerably and even where there was good contact, this had little impact on accommodation and ETE outcomes at the point of release, although contacts were more effective post-release. Sentence planning and oversight were weak and resettlement work in prisons was insufficiently informed either by an individual assessment of the offender concerned or a strategic assessment of what opportunities would be available to offenders on release, with input from relevant organisations and employers. Information sharing across prison departments was poor overall but better in open prisons and those preparing long-term offenders for release. It will be important that those prisons designated as ‘resettlement prisons’ in the new arrangements urgently begin to create the ‘whole prison’ approach to resettlement that is too often lacking at present. It would certainly help address these problems if prisons had a better understanding of current accommodation and ETE outcomes. At present they rely heavily on self-reported information from offenders at the point of release with no follow-up on longer-term accommodation and ETE outcomes, which as our findings demonstrate, is an ineffective way of judging the effectiveness of resettlement services. Offenders who posed a high risk of harm were placed in approved premises where their risk could be appropriately managed. Offenders expressed concerns to us about the adverse influence of other residents of approved premises, and two of the nine offenders who went to approved premises on release were subsequently recalled, but others had progressed six months later. Shortages of affordable rented accommodation, references, a lack of resources to pay deposits and rent in advance, and the practical problems of arranging accommodation from inside prison, meant that rented accommodation in the private or social housing sectors was not an option for any of the offenders we followed. Often offenders were able to move in with family/friends on release, even if just as a temporary measure, but the three in our sample who did not have this option were forced to rely on emergency shelter immediately after release. Access to affordable rented accommodation will be a significant challenge for new providers and it is likely that there will need to be an expansion of rent deposit and guarantee schemes and other provision if it is to be met. Some offenders in our cohort such as young adults who had been in care as ‘looked after children’ and women offenders who took over the sole care of their children after release had entitlements to housing that needed to be identified and met. Of course, finding and sustaining accommodation is not simply a question of paying the rent but also of having the skills necessary to live independently. For those who might struggle to live independently because of their age and lack of maturity, such as young adults, or older offenders who had become institutionalised by long sentences, some form of supported accommodation was necessary if they were not placed in approved premises. Details: London: Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons, 2014. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2016 at: https://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-areas/services-activity/resettlement/criminaljusticejointinspection/1693032014_Resettlement-thematic-for-print-Sept-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://socialwelfare.bl.uk/subject-areas/services-activity/resettlement/criminaljusticejointinspection/1693032014_Resettlement-thematic-for-print-Sept-2014.pdf Shelf Number: 141360 Keywords: Ex-offender EmploymentOffender ResettlementPrisoner ReentrySupported Housing |
Author: Jackson, Osborne Title: The Effect of Changing Employers' Access to Criminal Histories on Ex-Offenders’ Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from the 2010–2012 Massachusetts CORI Reform Summary: How to best reintegrate large numbers of ex-offenders into civil society is an important challenge for U.S. public policy. In 2006, the Department of Justice estimated that over 30 percent of the U.S. adult population has some type of criminal record; the percentages are even higher for some minority groups. Having a criminal record can impose lasting costs, particularly for anyone seeking job, as gaining legal employment is usually the best chance an ex-offender has to effect a positive change in his or her life. In an effort to reduce some of barriers to employment that may arise from having a criminal record, some states and localities have adopted a policy widely known as ban the box, which prohibits employers from asking about an individual's criminal history on an initial job application. In November 2010, Massachusetts implemented a version of ban the box as the first step in reforming its laws governing Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI). The second step, effective in May 2012, changed who can access the state's CORI database, enacted limits on the information that can be obtained, and imposed a time limit regarding how long misdemeanor and felony convictions will be reported on standard employer requests. On the whole, the Massachusetts CORI Reform is widely regarded as a national model to help improve ex-offenders' labor market outcomes. This study uses a unique and confidential large dataset and rigorous econometric techniques to test how well the intended reforms have worked in practice. The results may help guide and improve upon similar reform efforts in other states. Details: Boston: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, 2017. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper no. 16-31: Accessed March 21, 2017 at: https://www.bostonfed.org/publications/research-department-working-paper/2016/the-effect-of-changing-employers-access-to-criminal-histories-on-ex-offenders-labor-market-outcomes.aspx Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.bostonfed.org/publications/research-department-working-paper/2016/the-effect-of-changing-employers-access-to-criminal-histories-on-ex-offenders-labor-market-outcomes.aspx Shelf Number: 144532 Keywords: Criminal RecordsEx-Offender EmploymentEx-OffendersPrisoner ReentryRecidivism |
Author: Shoag, Daniel Title: No Woman No Crime: Ban the Box, Employment, and Upskilling Summary: A sizable number of localities have in recent years limited the use of criminal background checks in hiring decisions, or "banned the box." Using LEHD Origin-Destination Employment and American Community Survey data, we show that these bans increased employment of residents in high-crime neighborhoods by as much as 4%. These increases are particularly large in the public sector. At the same time, we establish using job postings data that employers respond to ban-the-box measures by raising experience requirements. A perhaps unintended consequence of this is that women, who are less likely to be convicted of crimes, see their employment opportunities reduced. Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard Kennedy School, 2016. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: HKS Working Paper No. 16-015: Accessed May 10, 2017 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2782599 Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2782599 Shelf Number: 150550 Keywords: Ban the BoxCriminal Background ChecksCriminal ConvictionsEx-Offender EmploymentEx-Offenders |
Author: Saliba, Antoinette Mary Title: Beyond the Prison Walls: the role of a criminal record check in balancing risk management and reintegration through employment Summary: The role of rehabilitating ex-offenders has traditionally been understood as belonging firmly within the administration of corrections and as such governed by the state. This thesis is undertaken within the area of criminal justice studies and examines what happens beyond the realms of corrections, through the utilisation of the criminal record, specifically in relation to employment. It brings into focus the reintegration of ex-offenders into the community and the impact of their criminal record on their reception by non-government institutions, employers and the community. To this end, this thesis uses theories of governmentality and the discourse of failure as outlined by Michel Foucault. These theories are applied to the analyses of the governing of ex-offenders by non-government organisations, institutions and employers within society. Furthermore, a Foucauldian genealogical approach is taken in relation to the disjointed and, at some stages, simultaneous development of facets of the criminal record within Victoria. Quantitative and qualitative Victorian data are considered in relation to the construction and development of the criminal record. This approach is utilised to gain a purchase on the particular ways in which the criminal record is constructed and used by prospective employers as a form of risk assessment for the possible future behaviour of ex-offenders. This form of risk assessment used by prospective employers will be considered against the forms of risk assessments performed by Corrections in relation to reoffending. Specifically, an in-depth analysis will be undertaken of the Victorian Intervention Screening Assessment Tool (VISAT), to illustrate how risk assessment tools have a tendency to reduce an immense level of information into simplistic and predetermined formats. Furthermore, the growing practice of criminal record checks will be analysed for its impact on the employment options of ex-offenders. This will be presented through a critical analysis of various forms of data, including employment advertisements, employment statistics of offenders and future industry indications. Through this multi-dimensional analysis of texts relating to criminal records and Corrections data, this thesis examines the role played by non-government institutions as distinct from the role of Government itself in thwarting stated aims of rehabilitation. Finally, recommendations will be made which are aimed at improving this problematic condition. The research findings support the conclusions that the criminal record is a complex, multifaceted inscription and as such, its reduction to a simplistic predetermined form - the National Police Certificate - makes it an inappropriate risk assessment tool for prospective employers. Furthermore, this research has found that the way the criminal record is used significantly impacts on the reintegration of ex-offenders. It is argued that the inability of ex-offenders to become gainfully employed and regain full active citizenship, subsequent to participation in rehabilitation programs and correctional intervention contributes to the high rate of recidivism. It is therefore concluded that society has a critical role to play in the successful reintegration of ex-offenders and the lowering of recidivism rates. Details: Melbourne: RMIT University, 2012. 264p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 17, 2017 at: https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:160273/Saliba.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:160273/Saliba.pdf Shelf Number: 131275 Keywords: Criminal Background ChecksCriminal RecordEx-Offender EmploymentOffender ReentryOffender Rehabilitation |
Author: Stacy, Christina Title: Ban the Box and Racial Discrimination: A Review of the Evidence and Policy Recommendations Summary: Ban-the-box policies, for which employers remove questions about criminal history from applications and delay background checks until later in the hiring process, have gained popularity in recent years. These policies are intended to give people with criminal histories the opportunity to display their qualifications in the hiring process before being assessed-and potentially rejected-based on this history. Over 150 cities and counties and 34 states and Washington, DC, have adopted ban-the-box policies (Doleac and Hansen 2016; Rodriguez and Avery 2016). Many private employers have also voluntarily adopted ban-the box-hiring policies, including Walmart, Target, the Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Koch Industries Inc. These policies are also being applied outside the workforce context. Some universities have adopted a ban-the-box approach to school applications, and the District of Columbia's City Council recently approved a law banning the box from housing applications. Even some hospitals have voluntarily adopted ban-the-box laws (Thill, Abare, and Fox 2014). Research on ban the box has shown that it increases callback rates for people with criminal records (Agan and Starr 2016). Agan and Starr (2016) find that ban-the-box policies "effectively eliminate" the effect of having a criminal record on receiving a callback. Case studies from specific cities support these results, showing that hiring rates for people with criminal records increased after ban the box was implemented (Atkinson and Lockwood 2014; Berracasa et al. 2016). Additionally, ban the box as a social movement has drawn attention to the plight of people with criminal records and has increased awareness of the challenges they face beyond employment. But recent research has concluded that ban the box also reduces the likelihood that employers call back or hire young black and Latino men (Agan and Starr 2016; Doleac and Hansen 2016). These findings suggest that when information about a person's criminal history is not present, employers may make hiring decisions based on their perception of the likelihood that the applicant has a criminal history. Racism, harmful stereotypes, and disparities in contact with the justice system may heavily skew perceptions against young men of color. These results do not necessarily mean that ban the box should be eliminated. Additional policies, regulations, and alterations can ensure that ban the box improves employment outcomes for people with criminal histories without causing negative effects on people of color. In this report, we review the evidence on job access for people with criminal records, racial discrimination in the job market and justice system, and the history of ban the box. We also propose policy additions and alterations that may help eliminate the unintended consequences of ban the box on young black and Latino men while maintaining or improving the benefits for people with criminal records. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2017. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2017 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/88366/ban_the_box_and_racial_discrimination_1.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/88366/ban_the_box_and_racial_discrimination_1.pdf Shelf Number: 145636 Keywords: Ban the BoxCriminal ConvictionsCriminal RecordsEx-offender EmploymentJob DiscriminationRacial Discrimination |
Author: Fontaine, Jocelyn Title: Promoting the Economic Stability of Fathers with Histories of Incarceration. Activities and Lessons from Six Responsible Fatherhood Programs Summary: People return from incarceration with limited resources, accumulated debt, weak employment histories, and no means of supporting themselves financially (McLean and Thompson 2007; Visher, Debus, and Yahner 2008; Visher, Yahner, and La Vigne 2010). For many of these people, their ability to achieve economic stability in the community is exacerbated by other reentry challenges they might face that may preclude or hinder their ability to find and maintain employment (La Vigne and Kachnowski 2005; La Vigne, Shollenberger, and Debus 2009; La Vigne, Visher, and Castro 2004; Visher and Courtney 2007; Visher et al. 2004, Visher, Yahner, and La Vigne 2010). Adding to the importance of their achieving economic stability, the majority of people returning to their communities after incarceration also have minor children and/or family members who rely on them financially and emotionally (Fontaine et al. 2015; Glaze and Maruschak 2008). Furthermore, the communities where people with criminal justice histories are concentrated are often economically disadvantaged (Fontaine et al. 2015; Lynch and Sabol 2004; Rose and Clear 1998). Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2017. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 16, 2017 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/89781/economic_stability_brief_1.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/89781/economic_stability_brief_1.pdf Shelf Number: 146211 Keywords: EmploymentEx-offender EmploymentEx-offendersParentingPrisoner Reentry |
Author: Southern Coalition for Social Justice Title: The Benefits of Ban the Box: A Case Study of Durham, NC Summary: For many job applicants around the country, one question blocks them from gainful employment and economic opportunity. A single question, often posed as a checkbox on the front of most job applications, asks about an applicant's criminal history. For many employers, it has become a way to weed out applicants before ever considering qualifications such as education and job history. This practice is widespread, and its effects on job applicants and their communities are staggering. A movement to "Ban the Box" (remove the checkbox from applications) was birthed as a response to the structural discrimination faced by people with criminal records. This report details: 1. the need for Ban the Box policies in communities directly impacted by mass incarceration; 2. the history and core strategy of the Ban the Box movement; 3. how Ban the Box polices increase the tax base, reduce recidivism, and expand the qualified applicant pool for employers; 4. the critical components of the campaign in Durham, North Carolina; and 5. the employment outcomes since adoption of Ban the Box policies in Durham. Details: Durham, NC: The Coalition, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2017 at: http://www.southerncoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/BantheBox_WhitePaper.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.southerncoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/BantheBox_WhitePaper.pdf Shelf Number: 146608 Keywords: Ban the Box Criminal Records Ex-Offender EmploymentEx-Offenders |
Author: English, Elizabeth Title: The Prison Entrepreneurship Program: An Innovative Approach to Reentry Summary: Every year, more than 650,000 men and women leave prison and return to communities across America. With little more than some pocket change and a bus ticket, they reenter society and struggle to find work, housing, a steady social network, and other necessities to successfully transition from a life behind bars to one of freedom. Upon release, economic barriers, the stigma of a felony conviction, and oftentimes mental health and addiction challenges make reentry a bleak picture for returned citizens. These challenges lead many back to the same patterns and behaviors that sent them to prison in the first place. According to the Department of Justice, more than 40 percent of those released from prison are rearrested in their first year out, 67 percent within three years, and more than three-quarters within five years. Unfortunately, this should come as no surprise, given the lack of quality education, job training, and social capital made available to prisoners while serving time. Our nation's revolving prison door and large prison population present a huge cost to taxpayers and families alike. In 2016, 2.3 million individuals are behind bars in the US, and an estimated 7.7 million Americans have been incarcerated at some point in their lifetime. Incarceration costs the US $80 billion a year today, and in Texas, home to the largest state prison population in the nation, taxpayers spent $2.5 billion to incarcerate prisoners in 2015. One recent report found that at least 5.1 million American youth have had at least one parent incarcerated at some point during their childhoods. To reduce the nation's prison population, many reform efforts have focused on sentencing practices: reducing or repealing mandatory minimums, particularly for nonviolent drug offenders. While this approach makes sense, it does little to reduce recidivism or increase opportunity for those already in prison. And ignoring what happens to the currently incarcerated and those recently released is problematic, given the crucial time period immediately following a prisoner's release due to their vulnerability in finding work, housing, and other essentials. One approach to reducing recidivism and helping the formerly incarcerated reenter society successfully is prison education and reentry programming. Although still a growing field, research on these programs - which range from college and GED courses to vocational, career, high school, and entrepreneurship courses - have demonstrated the ability to reduce recidivism and increase opportunity for those who have served time. The Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) has shown an ability to do both. This Texas-based program trains incarcerated men on how to become business entrepreneurs upon their release and then works with them and their families indefinitely after their sentence is over. The program lasts nine months on the inside: a three-month Leadership Academy, focused on character development, and a six-month Business Plan Competition (BPC), during which participants develop their own business proposals and pitch them to program volunteers. Graduates earn a certificate in entrepreneurship from Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business, and once out of prison, they have the potential to earn seed funding from PEP supporters and micro loans. When PEP men are released, program staff meet them at the gates and help them acquire identification, medical insurance, and basic necessities such as toiletries and clothes for a job interview. PEP also owns transition housing for graduates and assists with finding jobs, complying with parole, and reconnecting men to their families. PEP's results are promising. Program graduates reactivate at a rate of just 7 percent, about one-third the recidivism rate for Texas. Within 90 days of their release, 100 percent of all PEP graduates are employed. In 2016, 28 PEP-started businesses project revenues of more than $100,000. Six project revenues of more than $1 million. PEP's comprehensive approach and outcomes to date suggest that while education, work, family, community, and housing all matter to help the formerly incarcerated return to society successfully, they must be addressed in tandem to create long-term change. PEP's model is unique because it does what most programs do not - it connects an in-prison program with services, resources, and a community outside of prison, making participants' transition home more manageable and less siloed. Today, there is a growing emphasis on reentry at the local, state, and federal levels. Yet despite the evidence that correctional education and reentry programs can make the return to society a smoother process, effective program models are neither well-known nor extensively discussed. To help contribute to that dialogue, this paper provides an in-depth look at PEP, offering best practices and a lens through which to view opportunity and reentry for policymakers, advocates, and scholars working to address this critical policy issue. Details: Washington, DC: American Enterprise Institute, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2017 at: https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Prison-Entrepreneurship-Program.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Prison-Entrepreneurship-Program.pdf Shelf Number: 147631 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentPrison Education Prisoner Reentry Recidivism |
Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Justice Committee Title: Disclosure of youth criminal records Summary: Our predecessor Committee held an inquiry into the disclosure of youth criminal records, on which it had concluded taking evidence but had not reported by the time Parliament was dissolved before the June 2017 general election. One of our first decisions in this Parliament was that we should produce a report on this important issue, based on the evidence received by our predecessor Committee. Our report considers whether the current statutory framework for disclosing records of offences committed by people when under 18 years old is appropriate and effective, and whether it strikes the right balance between protecting employers and the public, and rehabilitating people who commit offences as children. We also consider the impact of the current regime on people who offend as young adults. Witnesses highlighted the adverse effect of childhood criminal records on individuals' access to employment, education, housing, insurance and visas for travel, and its discriminatory impact on particular groups including Black and Minority Ethnic children and those within the care system. We made direct approaches to organisations representing employers or others making use of criminal records checks for their views on the subject, but received little response from them. Overall, the inquiry evidence strongly supported the case for changing the criminal records disclosure system. For young adults, the majority of those who expressed a view thought that reform was also needed. We conclude that the current system undermines the laudable principles of the youth justice system and may well fall well short of the UK's obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We regret the Government's decision to pursue an appeal against the recent Court of Appeal decision on the compatibility of the filtering regime with human rights standards, rather than tackling the urgent need for reform. We also conclude that the coherence of Government policy on this area would be enhanced by consolidating responsibility into a single Department. In addition our report makes a number of recommendations for changing the statutory framework, which can be summarised as follows: - enactment of Lord Ramsbotham's Criminal Records Bill to reduce rehabilitation periods under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA) - an urgent review of the filtering regime, to consider removing the rule preventing the filtering of multiple convictions; introducing lists of nonfilterable offences customised for particular areas of employment, together with a threshold test for disclosure that is based on disposal/sentence; and reducing qualifying periods for the filtering of childhood convictions and cautions - considering the feasibility of extending this new approach, possibly with modifications, to the disclosure of offences committed by young adults up to the age of 25 - allowing chief police officers additional discretion to withhold disclosure of non-filterable offences, taking into account the age and circumstances of the offence and the individual's age at the time with a rebuttable presumption against disclosure of offences committed during childhood - giving individuals the right to apply for a review by the Independent Monitor of police decisions to disclose convictions or cautions. The 'Ban the Box' campaign aims to delay the point at which job applicants have to disclose criminal convictions by ticking a box on application forms, allowing them to be judged primarily on merit. We recommend extending this approach to all public sector vacancies, with a view to making it a mandatory requirement for all employers. We further recommend urgent amendment to Government guidance on English housing authorities' allocation schemes to reflect the 2016 court decision that found a local authority to have breached the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 by taking into account an applicant's spent offences. In relation to insurance, we recommend that the Financial Conduct Authority consider undertaking a thematic review of providers wrongly declining cover or quoting higher premiums when customers disclose a criminal record. Details: London: House of Commons, 2017. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: First Report of Session 2017-19: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmjust/416/416.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmjust/416/416.pdf Shelf Number: 148254 Keywords: Ban the BoxCriminal RecordsEx-offender EmploymentJuvenile RecordsYouthful Offenders |
Author: Hunt, Priscillia Title: Breaking Down Barriers: Experiments into Policies That Might Incentivize Employers to Hire Ex-Offenders Summary: The rate of criminal punishment in the United States has had far-reaching economic consequences, in large part because people with criminal records are marginalized within the labor market. Given these negative economic implications, federal, state and local officials have developed a host of policies to encourage employers to hire ex-offenders, with varying degrees of success. To inform policies and programs aimed at improving employment rates for ex-offenders, we examined employer preferences regarding policy options targeted to incentivize hiring individuals with one nonviolent felony conviction. In our experiments, we found employers were 69 percent more likely to consider hiring an ex-offender if a hiring agency also provides a guaranteed replacement worker in the event the ex-offender was deemed unsuitable and 53 percent more likely to hire an ex-offender who can provide a certificate of validated positive previous work performance history. Having consistent transportation provided by a hiring agency increased the likelihood of being considered for hire by 33 percent. Employers also were found to be 30 percent more likely to consider an ex-offender for hire if the government increases the tax credit from 25 percent of the worker's wages (up to $2,500) to 40 percent (up to $5,000) - double the current maximum amount allowed by the Work Opportunity Tax Credit - and 24 percent more likely to hire an ex-offender if the government completed all tax-related paperwork. Key Findings Worker Replacement and Fee Discounts Increase Hiring Prospects for Ex-Offenders With a baseline policy of a discount on a staffing agency fee set at 25 percent of the hourly wage and post-conviction certification verifying adherence to company rules or code of safe practices, 4.3 out of 10 employers would consider hiring an ex-offender. With the same baseline policy and a guaranteed replacement worker program, in which an agency would send a replacement worker if the ex-offender is unsuitable, that number rises to 7.3 out of 10. Six in ten employers would advance a candidate with this professional and criminal background if the candidate used a staffing agency with a 50-percent discount instead of a 25-percent discount. Tax Credits Have a Similarly Positive Effect With a baseline policy of a tax credit for 25 percent of a worker's wages (up to $2,500) after a worker has put in 120 hours and a post-conviction certification verifying adherence to company rules or code of safe practices, 5.9 out of 10 employers would consider hiring an ex-offender. With the same baseline policy and a 40-percent tax credit (up to $5,000), the number rises to 7.7 employers out of 10. Seven in ten employers would advance the candidate if the government, rather than the employer, completed the relevant tax forms to receive the tax credit. Employer Access to Previous Performance Could Factor into Hiring With the same baseline policy as considered for tax credits and a certificate of validated work performance history, that number rises from 5.9 out of 10 employers to 8.1 out of 10. Employer Concerns in Hiring Ex-Offenders From a specific list provided in the survey, the top-cited concern was "any violent felony conviction," which was chosen as the most important issue by 53.3 percent of respondents and as the second most important issue by 24.5 percent of respondents. This may partially reflect concerns related to negligent hiring liability, but it may reflect other issues, as well. Another primary concern stated by employers was "skills to get the job done," which was ranked as the first or second most important issue to consider by 45.4 percent of respondents. Recommendations Staffing agencies and reentry or reintegration programs could increase the likelihood of employment for people with a criminal record if they guarantee prospective employers a replacement employee. State policymakers should consider expanding post-conviction certification programs. Across both the tax credit and staffing agency discount experiments, employers demonstrate a clear preference for wanting to know whether an ex-offender job candidate has a consistent work history and verifiable positive employment references versus simply knowing whether the person follows company codes of conduct. Tax agencies should consider reducing the paperwork that companies have to fill out for credits. Government agencies could also consider providing help to prepare and submit the forms. Ensuring reliable transportation to and from a job site for candidates with a criminal record increases the likelihood an employer will support hiring such individuals. As with reducing paperwork, the impact of this policy is more limited than many of our other tested policy features. Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2018. 28p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 19, 2018 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2142.html Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2142.html Shelf Number: 148870 Keywords: Employment Ex-Offender EmploymentPrisoner ReentryRecidivism |
Author: Betesh, Hannah Title: Internet Access for Pre-Release Job Search Training: Issue Brief - Early Lessons from LEAP Summary: Nov 02, 2016 Authors Hannah Betesh Key Findings: Given heightened Internet security restrictions in jails, jail-based American Job Centers (AJCs) had to be flexible to adapt their pre-release curricula for this environment. Planning for Internet installation soon after grant award was critical, given the inherent delays and complexity of establishing Internet access in previously unwired jail settings. Adequate budgeting for both equipment purchases and space upgrades was essential to support Internet installation and access in jails. Securing Internet access is a critical planning issue for the creation of a jail-based American Job Center (AJC). Community-based AJCs increasingly offer resources via the Internet, as the majority of job search activities and applications now occur online; however, correctional facilities often do not offer any Internet access for inmates due to security concerns. In jails where Internet access is available, it is generally for purposes unrelated to job search, such as legal research and distance learning, and in designated areas such as a law library or classroom. Arranging Internet access for the purpose of job search inside a jail-based AJC therefore represents a new and complex endeavor in the jail environment. This brief uses data from site visits to 8 of the 20 Linking to Employment Activities Pre-release (LEAP) sites to explore the role of Internet access in pre-release employment services as well as the resources, staffing, and infrastructure needed to establish Internet access for a jail-based AJC. Details: Princeton, NJ: Oakland, CA: Mathematica Policy Research and Social Policy Research Associates, 2016. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2018 at: https://www.mathematica-mpr.com/our-publications-and-findings/publications/internet-access-for-pre-release-job-search-training Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.mathematica-mpr.com/our-publications-and-findings/publications/internet-access-for-pre-release-job-search-training Shelf Number: 149461 Keywords: Employment ServicesEx-Offender EmploymentInternetJail InmatesJob Search |
Author: Agan, Amanda Title: The Minimum Wage, EITC, and Criminal Recidivism Summary: For recently released prisoners, the minimum wage and the availability of state Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs) can influence both their ability to find employment and their potential legal wages relative to illegal sources of income, in turn affecting the probability they return to prison. Using administrative prison release records from nearly six million offenders released between 2000 and 2014, we use a difference-in-differences strategy to identify the effect of over two hundred state and federal minimum wage increases, as well as 21 state EITC programs, on recidivism. We find that the average minimum wage increase of 8% reduces the probability that men and women return to prison within 1 year by 2.8%. This implies that on average the wage effect, drawing at least some ex-offenders into the legal labor market, dominates any reduced employment in this population due to the minimum wage. These reductions in re-convictions are observed for the potentially revenue generating crime categories of property and drug crimes; prison reentry for violent crimes are unchanged, supporting our framing that minimum wages affect crime that serves as a source of income. The availability of state EITCs also reduces recidivism, but only for women. Given that state EITCs are predominantly available to custodial parents of minor children, this asymmetry is not surprising. Framed within a simple model where earnings from criminal endeavors serve as a reservation wage for ex-offenders, our results suggest that the wages of crime are on average higher than comparable opportunities for low-skilled labor in the legal labor market. Details: Unpublished paper, 2018. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2018 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3097203 Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3097203 Shelf Number: 149475 Keywords: Ex-Offender EmploymentMinimum Wage Recidivism |
Author: Henderson-Frakes, Jennifer Title: Structuring Employment-Based Services Within Jail Spaces and Schedules. Issue Brief - Early Lessons from LEAP Summary: Workforce development agencies must navigate jail spaces and inmate schedules to provide American Job Center (AJC) services effectively to inmates transitioning back to the community. The rules guiding the use of jail space and the scheduling of inmate activities can be complex and vary considerably based on each jail's structure, security level, reentry focus, and existing programming. This brief discusses how LEAP workforce development staff worked with jail administrators to gain access to jail space and their strategies for scheduling services inside the jail-based AJC. It relies on data gathered through site visits to eight LEAP sites during the planning period for LEAP, as well as tours of all 20 jail-based AJCs being implemented by grantees. Structuring Employment-Based Services Within Jail Spaces and Schedules Issue Brief-Early Lessons from LEAP Jennifer Henderson-Frakes, Social Policy Research Associates Key Findings - The particular facility or area within the facility where the jail-based AJC was located, along with its associated reentry focus and security level, significantly influenced the development of the AJC, the process for participants to access the space, and the negotiations around scheduling of AJC services. - Early onsite time with jail leadership and staff was critical for understanding space and scheduling parameters, assessing what was feasible, and making necessary adjustments. - Securing the buy-in of corrections officers was just as important as buy-in from jail administrative staff, given the considerable logistics involved with inmate movement and the complexity of daily jail schedules. Details: Princeton, NJ: Oakland, CA: Mathematica Policy Research and Social Policy Research Associates, 2016. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2018 at: https://www.dol.gov/asp/evaluation/completed-studies/IB_MPR_SPR_LEAP_JailSpace.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.dol.gov/asp/evaluation/completed-studies/IB_MPR_SPR_LEAP_JailSpace.pdf Shelf Number: 149490 Keywords: Employment ServicesEx-Offender EmploymentJail InmatesJob Search |
Author: Helmus, Leslie Title: Temporary absences reduce unemployment and returns to custody for women offenders Summary: Temporary absences (TAs) allow offenders to leave the institution for short periods of time to attend to administrative matters, perform community service, strengthen family contacts, receive medical attention, attend to parental responsibilities, engage in personal development, and/or attend rehabilitative programming in the community. TAs are intended to assist in community reintegration by allowing gradual and conditional access to the community while supporting offender rehabilitation efforts. This report focused only on the rehabilitative types of TAs, excluding those granted for medical or administrative purposes (as there is less discretion in granting these absences). The purpose of the current study was to examine who received TAs and to explore the impact of participating in TAs on community outcomes for women offenders. The final sample included 1,683 women offenders released to the community between April 1, 2005 and March 31, 2011. Outcomes included unemployment, any return to custody, return to custody with a new offence, and return to custody without a new offence. Overall, 44% of women offenders received a TA during their sentence. Women who received a TA were generally more likely to be higher risk, higher need, have lower Reintegration Potential, and were serving a longer sentence. Participation in TAs was also related to community outcomes. A significant dosage effect was found for returns to custody for any reason and returns to custody for a new offence: the more TAs an offender received, the lower the chances of returning to custody. For unemployment and returns without an offence, merely participating in a TA (yes/no) demonstrated a significant reduction in negative outcomes. These findings indicate that higher risk women are more likely to participate in TAs, and according to the risk principle of effective correctional practice, they stand to benefit the most from them. Additionally, participation in TAs reduces unemployment and returns to custody. Consequently, TAs play a valuable role in gradual reintegration to the community, and generally, the more the offenders participate, the greater the benefits. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2015. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. R-354: Accessed April 5, 2018 at: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/scc-csc/PS83-3-354-eng.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/scc-csc/PS83-3-354-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 149701 Keywords: Ex-offender EmploymentFemale OffendersPrisoner ReentryTemporary ReleaseUnemploymentWomen Offenders |
Author: Weaver, Beth Title: Time for Policy Redemption? A Review of the Evidence on Disclosure of Criminal Records Summary: There is wide variation in disclosure practices within and between the U.S, the U.K and Europe, although there is some consensus that reasons for checking criminal records by employers include: minimising risk of liability and loss; concerns surrounding public protection where the nature of employment includes working with vulnerable groups; assessments of moral character in terms of honesty and trustworthiness; and compliance with statutory occupational requirements (Blumstein and Nakamura, 2009). As the use of criminal record background checks by employers has become increasingly pervasive, having a criminal record can have significant effects on employment prospects producing 'invisible punishment' or 'collateral consequences' of contact with the justice system (Travis 2002). Taking into account that over 38% of men and 9% of women in Scotland are estimated to have at least one criminal conviction (McGuinness, McNeill and Armstrong, 2013), issues surrounding criminal record checking and disclosure in an employment context affect a large proportion of people. In recent years, reforms to both the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and to practices of disclosure have been and are being implemented, with the aim of reducing unnecessary barriers to employment for people with convictions while promoting the protection of vulnerable groups. Additionally, a social movement to 'Ban the Box' aims to eliminate criminal history questions from standard employment applications by deferring the stage at which an employer can inquire into criminal history (Smith, 2014), based on the belief that employers use that information to immediately eliminate those with convictions from consideration. 'Ban the Box' aims to support those with convictions to be considered on the basis of their skills and experience before disclosing criminal histories (Vuolo, Lageson and Uggen, 2017). In the USA around 30 states and over 150 cities and counties have taken steps to remove barriers to employment for qualified workers with records.3 In the UK, 87 employers have signed up to 'Ban the Box'.4 How this is implemented in the USA is variable but most call for the removal of any criminal record question on applications for public and private employers. Many also include fairer hiring practice provisions informed by the guidance document issued by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2012. This document was designed to clarify standards and provide 'best practice' on how employers may check criminal backgrounds without violating prohibitions against employment discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (EEOC 2012). This proposes that employers assess criminal records on an individualised basis, considering factors such as the nature of the crime, the time elapsed since it was committed, and the nature of the job (Lageson, Vuolo, Uggen, 2015). There is some evidence that the move to more formal, regulated checks has led employers to more people with criminal records for employment than they might have previously (Hartstein, Fliegel, Mora and Zuba, 2015; Lageson, et al., 2015). These guidelines are, in part at least, informed by 'Time to Redemption' studies which empirically investigate the period of time when people with convictions can statistically be considered as exhibiting the same risk of reconviction as people with no convictions. In what follows, the findings of these 'Time to Redemption' studies are discussed, following a brief review of the evidence into the relationship between employment and desistance. This paper then explores research into employers' attitudes, beliefs and behaviours with regard to the employment of people with convictions, prior to exploring practices of disclosure and vetting in the UK, Europe and the USA. Existing practices of disclosure tend to retain the requirement that certain spent convictions will always be disclosed in certain circumstances, for the purposes of public protection. By contrast, time to redemption research measures the extent to which people with convictions become statistically close to people without convictions in terms of risk, taking into account age at offence, periods of desistance and crime type, suggesting that in general that period is between 7 and 10 years. This paper suggests that the findings of Time to Redemption studies allows for information pertaining to criminal histories to be used in a more nuanced way, concluding by bringing together these different areas of inquiry to consider implications for approaches to reform. In so doing, this paper ends by reviewing four, not necessarily mutually exclusive, approaches to reform, that might bring Scotland and the UK into closer alignment with European practices and the European Convention on Human Rights, and in particular, Article 8 which provides a right to respect for one's private and family life, home and correspondence. These approaches, based on a review of and informed by the evidence include: (1) reviewing spent periods and the issue of enduringly unspent convictions; (2) certificates of rehabilitation; (3) court imposed Occupational Disqualification; and the (4) guidance and revisions to anti-discrimination legislation. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 17, 2018 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Weaver_Time-For-Policy-Redemption1.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Weaver_Time-For-Policy-Redemption1.pdf Shelf Number: 149836 Keywords: Collateral ConsequencesCriminal History Criminal Records Ex-Offender Employment |
Author: Oliver, Ashley Title: Employment Barriers and Attitude to Employment for Male Ex-offenders Summary: Working is a central aspect of life, as employment is a means of survival and it allows for both social interaction and self-determination. One group in particular has historically struggled to obtain employment, namely ex-offenders. Despite the large number of unemployed ex-offenders, counseling psychology has not paid much attention to the specific vocational needs for this particular population. This study describes the difficulties that male ex-offenders have when trying to obtain employment. Specifically, the relationship between perceived barriers to employment and job search attitudes are examined in an adult male non-violent and violent offender population. The participants included 150 English-speaking adult males with a criminal record, aged 18 and older, and who were currently unemployed. Results supported that there is a relationship between their perceived barriers to employment and job search attitude. Results also supported a relationship between type of offense committed (violent vs. non-violent), total number of criminal convictions, and highest level of education completed and their Barriers to Employment Success overall score and Job Search Attitude overall score, with the most significant relationship being between highest level of education and one's overall barriers to employment. Results suggest that vocational programs should take more of a holistic approach, and incorporate interventions that are targeted at improving offenders' attitudes, such as motivational interviewing, because it may help decrease their employment concerns and perceived employment barriers, and improve their attitudes. Details: Cleveland,: Cleveland State University, 2017. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 8, 2018 at: https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file?accession=csu1503315587714708&disposition=inline Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file?accession=csu1503315587714708&disposition=inline Shelf Number: 150112 Keywords: EmploymentEx-offender EmploymentJobsPrisoner Reentry |
Author: Nacro Title: Mind the Gap: A practical guide to employing ex-offenders in the construction industry Summary: Mind the Gap (MTG) is a three-year project commissioned by the CITB. The consortium of partners - led by Be Onsite, Lendlease's not for profit organisation, A Fairer Chance, Bounce Back, Mitie Foundation and Nacro - are working together with other key stakeholders to reduce skills gaps, reoffending rates and improve outcomes in local employment and skills plan obligations contained within planning agreements (section 106 outcomes). This will be achieved by providing construction industry employers with the resources, training and support they need to recruit serving prisoners, offenders on licence and other people with criminal records who are motivated to work. This guidance, which has been developed by Nacro in consultation with the partners and other key stakeholders, supports employers in the construction sector to adopt a 'business as usual' approach to recruiting people with convictions within their workforce. It helps them to understand their legal rights and responsibilities, supports them to implement safer and fair recruitment policies and procedures and ensures they can confidently and effectively manage and mitigate any potential risks involved. Details: London: Nacro, 2018. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2018 at: https://www.nacro.org.uk/training-and-consultancy/mind-gap-project/mind-the-gap-practical-guide-employing-ex-offenders-construction-industry/ Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nacro.org.uk/training-and-consultancy/mind-gap-project/mind-the-gap-practical-guide-employing-ex-offenders-construction-industry/ Shelf Number: 150427 Keywords: Employment ProgramsEx-Offender EmploymentJob Programs |
Author: Prescott, J.J. Title: Expungement of Criminal Convictions: An Empirical Study Summary: Laws permitting the expungement of criminal convictions are a key component of modern criminal justice reform efforts and have been the subject of a recent upsurge of legislative activity. This debate has been almost entirely devoid of evidence about the laws' effects, in part because the necessary data (such as sealed records themselves) have been unavailable. We were able to obtain access to deidentified data that overcomes that problem, and we use it to carry out a comprehensive statewide study of expungement recipients and comparable non-recipients. We offer three key sets of empirical findings. First, among those legally eligible for expungement, just 6.5% obtain it within five years of eligibility. Drawing on patterns in our data as well as interviews with expungement lawyers, we point to reasons for this serious "uptake gap." Second, those who do obtain expungement have extremely low subsequent crime rates, comparing favorably to the general population-a finding that defuses a common public-safety objection to expungement laws. Third, those who obtain expungement experience a sharp upturn in their wage and employment trajectories; on average, within two years, wages go up by 25% versus the pre-expungement trajectory, an effect mostly driven by unemployed people finding jobs and very minimally employed people finding steadier or higher-paying work. Details: Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, School of Law, 2019. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: U of Michigan Law & Econ Research Paper No. 19-001: Accessed March 19, 2019 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3353620 Year: 2019 Country: United States URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3353620 Shelf Number: 155047 Keywords: Criminal Records Ex-Offender EmploymentExpungement Prisoner Reentry Recidivism |
Author: Massie, Rachel Title: An Evaluation of the Irene Taylor Trust's Sounding Out Programme 2016-2018 Summary: Summary: An evaluation of the ex-prisoner programme Sounding Out, focusing on participants engaging in the programme between 2016 and 2018. Key findings: "Involvement in a carefully designed programme of music creation, skills development and work placements can have a significant impact on the rehabilitation and re-integration of people seeking resettlement from prison. Consistent with a, now extensive, body of authoritative research, Sounding Out demonstrated benefits in: the development of personal and social skills associated with desistance from crime identifying focus and direction towards employment and away from reoffending building practical skills, improved musical ability, patience to work with others, and empathy through team working. Sounding Out has benefits for an individual's readiness for continued involvement in music. There are also benefits for the professional musicians involved and for prison and probation staff." Details: London: Irene Taylor Trust, 2019. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2019 at: https://irenetaylortrust.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/sounding-out-evaluation-2016-2018.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://irenetaylortrust.files.wordpress.com/2019/03/sounding-out-evaluation-2016-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 155172 Keywords: Arts Programs Ex-Offender EmploymentMusical Programs Offender Reentry Offender Rehabilitation Recidivism Rehabilitation Programs |
Author: Stacey, Christopher Title: Double discrimination? The impact of criminal records Summary: This report is based on the survey responses from 221 individuals. It provides new data on the impact of criminal records as perceived by people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, and it draws on what is known about the over-criminalisation of certain groups. Key findings from the survey include: 1. Over three-quarters of people (78%) felt that their ethnic background had made the problems they face as a result of their criminal record harder. Around 1 in 5 (22%) felt that it had made no difference. Nobody from a BAME background felt that their ethnicity made things easier. 2. The overwhelming majority (79%) cited employment as one of the problems they faced. The other most common problems were relationships (34%), volunteering (30%), insurance (26%), travel/immigration (23%) and college/university/education (23%). 3. The problems persisted for long periods of time. Although the majority were last cautioned/convicted between 1 and 10 years ago (32% between 1 and 5 years ago, with 30.8% between 5 and 10 years ago), 15% had problems between 10 and 20 years later and 7% had problems over 20 years later. 4. It affects all age groups. The problems people faced because of their ethnicity spanned the full age range, the full range of sentences and a wide range of offences types. 5. African and Caribbean individuals were most affected. Problems were faced by a range of ethnic groups, but the largest proportions were African (17.8%) and Caribbean (13.4%) It is not possible to obtain quantitative data that looks at the number of BAME individuals affected by the disclosure of their criminal record on checks issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The first recommendation is the Home Office, through the DBS, should collect data on ethnicity from those undergoing criminal record checks. Grouping BAME people as one can mask inequalities rather than help challenge them. The second recommendation is that government should better distinguish between ethnic groups when measuring disproportionality throughout the criminal justice system. It is clear from wider evidence that people from some BAME backgrounds are disproportionately represented at all stages of the criminal justice system, and this affects both their experience and perception of how ethnicity compounds the difficulties created by a criminal record. 1. More likely to be arrested - Black and ethnic minority children account for more than a quarter of all child arrests across England and Wales - more than double the proportion of the BAME population. 2. More likely to get a caution - Although the use of cautions is decreasing overall, the proportion given to BAME groups has grown. The third recommendation is the police should: a. Understand the circumstances where a caution is necessary, or whether an informal disposal can be issued instead, and b. Ensure that information, specifically tailored to the circumstances, is provided to individuals before they accept the specific caution they have been offered. 3. More likely to be prosecuted - Black defendants have a much higher rate of prosecution, and therefore are at an increased likelihood of receiving a conviction. 4. More likely to plead not guilty - BAME defendants are consistently more likely to plead not guilty than white defendants. This means that, if found guilty, they are likely to face more punitive sentences than if they had admitted guilt. The result of this is a criminal record that will invariably end up having to be disclosed for longer under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA) because the time it takes for the conviction to become spent will be longer. 5. More likely to get a longer sentence - Black boys are more likely to be charged with murder than manslaughter and more likely to receive a higher or maximum sentence than white boys. One in four black teenage boys guilty of manslaughter were given maximum jail terms, while white children found guilty of the same crime were sentenced to no more than 10 years, with the majority getting less than four. This statistic is striking within the context of the criminal records regime, where any sentence of more than 4 years in prison can never become spent. More generally, longer sentences take longer to become spent (if they ever do), meaning a criminal record will cause more difficulties for longer. This is an additional penalty - what David Lammy refers to as the double penalty is in fact a triple penalty. This means that the damage from the post-conviction disclosure rules also impacts disproportionately especially where sentences cross the four-year threshold, after which a sentence can never become spent. A sentence that can never become spent can effectively feel like a life sentence in the community In September 2017, David Lammy MP published his review into the treatment of BAME groups in the criminal justice system. In addition to the inequalities found at each stage of the justice system, the review highlighted the ongoing difficulties caused by criminal records: "One of the most significant barriers to any ex-offender's prospects of employment is created by public policy: the criminal records regime." The Lammy Review made two recommendations about criminal records, both of which the government recognised the need to address. Neither of them has been implemented. The fourth recommendation is, now litigation has concluded, the Ministry of Justice should respond to recommendation 34 of the Lammy Review (on sealing criminal records). If the Ministry of Justice is not going to pursue this recommendation, then it should clearly articulate why not and explain what other changes it will make instead. The fifth recommendation is the Ministry of Justice should fully implement recommendation 35 of the Lammy Review (on commissioning and publishing a study indicating the costs of unemployment among ex-offenders). The overwhelming majority of survey respondents cited employment as one of the problems they faced. There are significant differences in employment rates between different ethnic groups. For example, in the UK there are over 20.6 million women of working age population, 2.9 million (14%) of whom are from BAME backgrounds. 72.6% of white women and 55.8% of BAME women are in employment. However, whereas ethnicity can be a visible characteristic to employers, a criminal record is not. When looking specifically at those with a criminal record, combining the attitudes of employers towards criminal records with the differences in employment rates between different ethnic groups, it is likely that BAME groups would be better served by widespread improvements in employer practices towards criminal records, such as Ban the Box. If employers did not find out about the criminal record of an applicant until after they had offered a conditional job offer, it would become much clearer whether an employer's decision not to hire was based on the applicant's criminal record. It would also avoid many of the connections and stereotypes that were referred to by survey respondents: - "I think that having a fraud conviction and being of an African background feeds into the stereotype held about Nigerians. I have dreadlocks and I've had to change my name to afford me a foot in the door, so to speak." - "The conviction(s) should not have to be disclosed unless employers are going to offer you the new position, and only if it is relevant to the post applied for." The sixth recommendation is the government should extend the Ban the Box commitment beyond the civil service to all public bodies. The seventh recommendation is the government should follow the lead taken in the US by introducing 'fair chance hiring' practices, including a statutory requirement for all employers to delay any questions about criminal records until the pre-employment stage. On a very practical level, the way the process of getting standard or enhanced DBS checks as part of certain jobs presents people with problems. As a middle-aged Bangladeshi man in our survey said, "I am not confident of applying for jobs, I can't get an enhanced DBS to check what is on it." Understandably, he wants to make sure that his caution has come off before he starts applying for jobs and not disclosing. The eighth recommendation is the Home Office, through the DBS, should provide a mechanism by which individuals can check which cautions and convictions will appear on their standard or enhanced DBS check. Over a quarter of survey respondents (26.7%) reported having faced problems with travel/immigration. As part of the UK's exit of the European Union, the UK governments 'EU settlement scheme' enables EU citizens to continue to live in the UK. Around 3.3 million EU nationals live in the UK, and all applying for 'settled status' will be asked a broad question about criminal records - "Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence?". Unlock has concerns that many people who are worried about the impact of their criminal record will simply not apply for settled status, leaving them in a precarious position in terms of immigration status. The ninth recommendation is the Home Office should provide clarity, in the form of clear guidance to individuals, as to what types of criminal record may affect a person's settled status application. There may not be specific solutions within the criminal records disclosure regime for BAME groups. As David Lammy highlighted in his report: "BAME communities face specific challenges, including discrimination in many walks of life. But some of the most marginalised BAME communities have much in common with the White workingclass. A justice system that works better for those who are BAME and poor will work better for those who are White British and poor too." Taking this approach to criminal records, a criminal records disclosure regime that works better for those who are BAME will work better for those who are White British too. In January 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that two aspects of the filtering scheme are disproportionate and in breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It is important that there is proper consideration of the wider issues. However, Unlock does not consider it justifiable for the government to expect those affected by the Supreme Court judgment to have to wait for such broader consideration. The tenth recommendation is the government should pass a remedial order as soon as practical to deal with the Supreme Court judgment to ensure that all youth cautions, reprimands and warnings are now filtered out, and that the multiple conviction rule is removed. There have been several criticisms of both the filtering rules and the wider criminal records disclosure regime, which the government had postponed dealing with until the outcome of the Supreme Court case. In its response to the Justice Select Committee inquiry, the government committed to considering criminal record disclosure for children and young adults following the conclusion of this litigation. A wider review would provide an important opportunity to consider other important aspects, such as amendments to the list of filterable offences. The Taylor Review into the youth justice system, and the Law Commission, has criticised the current regime. As one survey respondent said: "At some stage, the question of a criminal records would be posed and the application in 99% of cases has been ended. A conviction, especially one that will remain unspent throughout my whole life, means that I will be paying more for insurance and struggle to find employment throughout my whole life." The eleventh recommendation is the Ministry of Justice should implement reforms to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, including reducing the time before convictions become spent and expanding the scope of the legislation so that all convictions can become spent. The twelfth recommendation is the government should conduct a fundamental review of the wider criminal records disclosure regime, including looking at reforms to ensure effective protection from discrimination for people with spent and/or filtered criminal records. Conclusion -- Most people surveyed believed their ethnicity has made it harder to overcome the problems they face because of their criminal record. The discrimination faced by people from BAME individuals who have a criminal record may not be 'double', but the difficulties they face are certainly cumulative. The perceptions of many of those surveyed were that the way the criminal record disclosure rules operate means that, had they been white, their past offences would have not caused them as many problems. This may be because, for example, they may not have been prosecuted, or the sentence they received would have been lower and therefore spent earlier. There is a wealth of evidence, some of which is highlighted in this report, that shows how the criminal justice system disproportionately impacts on people from some BAME groups. These groups are more affected than others because of over-criminalisation and harsher treatment by the criminal justice system and are also disadvantaged by discrimination based on ethnicity. Put simply, ethnicity impacts on the type of criminal record someone gets. This does not necessarily mean that this report demonstrates that there is additional discrimination because of the way the criminal record disclosure system works. For this, there would need to be evidence of outcomes for BAME and white individuals, not just evidence of how people feel about the process. However, the experiences of those who responded show that people feel the criminal records disclosure regime disproportionately impacts BAME groups. And this report shows that, proportionately, more people from a BAME background suffer from that experience of their criminal record. The extent of that experience is not yet possible to quantify. The disclosure regime exacerbates problems faced by people already treated more harshly at all stages in the criminal justice system. Whereas ethnicity can be a visible characteristic to employers, a criminal record is not. This means that, while tackling ethnicity-based discrimination requires a certain set of responses, tackling conviction-based discrimination might include a different set of responses. For example, ways to minimise, or delay, the use of criminal records, may benefit BAME groups but would result in a much fairer system for everyone. A criminal records disclosure regime that works better for those who are BAME will work better for those who are White British too. Details: Maidstone, Kent, UK: Unlock, 2019. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed July 16, 2019 at: https://www.unlock.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Double-discrimination-Full-report-July-2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.unlock.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Double-discrimination-Full-report-July-2019.pdf Shelf Number: 156863 Keywords: Criminal Records Ethnic Minorities Ex-Offender EmploymentEx-Offenders Minorities Racial Discrimination |