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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 11:52 am
Time: 11:52 am
Results for vocational education and trainings
1 results foundAuthor: Bellotti, Jeanne Title: Giving Ex-Offenders a Choice in Life: First Findings from the Beneficiary Choice Demonstration Summary: The number of individuals being released from prisons and jails in the United States has continued to grow for the past decade. More than 672,000 individuals were released from Federal and state prisons in 2004, a significant increase from 405,000 individuals in 1990. Upon release from incarceration, ex-offenders often face a range of challenges. Many have low levels of education and literacy, limited prior attachment to the legal workforce, reduced ties to family and community, and histories of substance abuse and mental health problems (Bushway and Reuter 2002; Petersilia 2003; Steurer et al. 2002; Nelson et al. 1999; Byrne et al. 2002). Former prisoners may also confront barriers that directly limit their ability to gain employment, including lack of basic documentation, the use of criminal background checks by employers, and state laws and licensing requirements for certain jobs (Clear and Cole 2000). If not adequately addressed, these barriers can reduce reentry success. Estimates suggest that 45 percent of state prisoners are rearrested within one year of release and 67 percent within three years (Langan and Levin 2002). Prompted by this research, Federal policymakers began in the late 1990s to shift their focus and resources to initiatives aimed at helping ex-offenders successfully reintegrate into society. Programs funded by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), such as Weed and Seed and the Reentry Partnership Initiative, began to bridge the divides among correctional agencies, community supervision, and local public and private social service agencies. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has also funded several prominent initiatives within the past decade, including the Youth Offenders Demonstration, the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, Ready4Work, and the Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI). To further expand its initiatives to serve this needy population, the Employment and Training Administration within DOL created the Beneficiary Choice Contracting Program, a demonstration to help ex-offenders successfully enter and remain in the workforce and stay free of crime. To be eligible for the program, individuals must be between 18 and 29 years of age, have been convicted of a Federal or state crime, and have been released from a Federal or state institution within the past 60 days. In July 2007, DOL awarded five grantees a total of $5 million for the first year of operations to serve approximately 225 participants each.The Beneficiary Choice Demonstration involves an indirect funding model in which grantees engage in performance-based contracts with specialized service providers (SSPs) to provide employment-focused services to participants. DOL provided a blueprint for building a service delivery structure that includes the grantee, a services coordinator, and at least five specialized SSPs. Grantees maintain the administrative functions. Services coordinators serve as the gateway for participants to select an SSP. The SSPs then provide in-depth services. Community partners also provide referrals and leveraged resources to support service delivery. The model has three key components that distinguish it from prior programs: 1. Emphasis on Participant Choice. The cornerstone of the program is that it allows participants to choose the program that best meets their needs. Each SSP must offer three core services: (1) workforce readiness training, (2) career counseling, and (3) six months of follow-up services. SSPs are also expected to offer a unique combination of supplemental and supportive services. 2. Expansion of the Service Delivery Network. Grantees were encouraged by DOL to engage a wide range of SSPs, including faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) that offer both a range of secular and faith-infused services. DOL also required that each grantee partner with at least one local provider with which it has not previously worked. In this way, the demonstration can draw on the unique qualifications of FBCOs that may not typically partner with the government. 3. Use of Performance-Based Contracts. Grantees are required to engage in performance-based contracts with at least five SSPs that offer services to participants. Providers receive benchmark payments as they document their success in helping participants achieve key outcomes, such as completing services, obtaining a job, and retaining employment. The Beneficiary Choice model is a new direction in the provision of services to exoffenders and, therefore, is likely to pique the interest of policymakers and program administrators alike. DOL contracted with Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. (MPR) to evaluate the implementation of the program, the short-term outcomes of participants, and the costs of providing services. The evaluation addresses six research questions: 1. How do grantees plan for, implement, and operate the program? 2. How do grantees ensure that participants have a true and independent choice of providers? 3. How does performance-based contracting influence implementation? 4. What are the characteristics of participants and what services do they receive? 5. What are the employment outcomes and recidivism rates of participants? 6. What are the costs of the program? Details: Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., 2008. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 4, 2012 at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Giving%20Ex-Offenders%20a%20Choice%20in%20Life%20-%20First%20Findings%20from%20the%20Beneficiary%20Choice%20Demonstration.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Giving%20Ex-Offenders%20a%20Choice%20in%20Life%20-%20First%20Findings%20from%20the%20Beneficiary%20Choice%20Demonstration.pdf Shelf Number: 126237 Keywords: Ex-Offenders, Employment (U.S.)ReentryRehabilitation ProgramsVocational Education and Trainings |