misc research on prison reentry programs

8/10/2019 Misc Research on prison reentry programs

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Halfway Houses and Community

Corrections

Make a plan to guide your efforts. Research your

community, assess the need for your program and write

a summary that explains your program and its history. If

your program is in the planning stages, develop a

proposal detailing the program you wish to start and the

services you will provide to ex-convicts. Be prepared todescribe your program to potential funders.

evelop a website so that potential funders can find

your programs. onors can make online donations

through your website, and agencies that might need

your services will find your halfway house in anInternet search.

!isit the epartment of "ustice Reentry website for

information about reentry initiatives and funding for

halfway houses. #he website has a page with links to

state programs and funding opportunities.

!isit grants.gov and search for grants that support

halfway houses, community corrections and otherprograms related to the $econd %hance &ct. $earch for

grants that support specific services, such as

employment assistance or substance abuse services.

Identify foundations, local charities and civic

organi'ations whose grant focus areas include services

to ex-convicts, halfway houses and community

corrections. $tart your search at the (oundation %enter

website. %ontact the organi'ations or visit their

websites to learn about eligibility criteria and

application processes.

%ontact local community foundations. #hey manage

charitable funds for individuals, foundations andcorporations and can identify donors that might be

interested in funding halfway houses or services to ex-

convicts.

Government Funding

#he only way to get a government halfway house grant is to

be recogni'ed by the Internal Revenue $ervice as a )*+c

nonprofit faith-based or community-based organi'ation.

(B/s are loosely defined by the federal government as

0connected with an organi'ed faith community.1 %B/s are

0small neighborhood non-profit organi'ations that are

located in the same 'ip code as the people they serve.1 2oucan download the )*+c application at the IR$ website.

3ven with non-profit status, there are limited resources and

plenty of rules to navigate.

Types

#here are three main types of government funding for

halfway houses4

+. contract for services,

5. government-guaranteed loans and

. government grants.

(or-profit and non-profit entities are generally eligible

to apply for government guaranteed loans and to

contract with the government agencies to provide

0transitional housing1 for specific target populations

such as ex-offenders, homeless veterans, recovering

alcoholics, abused women and recovering drug addicts.

(or-profit entities are generally barred from government

and private foundation grant eligibility by federal law

and IR$ rules. $ome states, such as 6ew "ersey, even

bar for-profit entities from obtaining halfway housecontracts. #herefore, if you plan to operate a for-profitentity, check with the appropriate state agency, such as

your Bureau of 7risons, to see about your state8s

eligibility re9uirements for obtaining a contract to run a

halfway house.

Government Grant Limitations

&ccording to the :.$. $mall Business &dministration,

federal and state governments do not provide grants for

starting a business, paying off debt and covering

operational expenses.

;overnment grants generally fund specific industries,

target populations and target programs.

In the case of halfway houses, government grants may

be available to fund, say, innovative re-entry programs

for ex-offenders, transitional housing for abused women

and recovery programs for recovering addictions.

Implicit in all government grants for halfway houses is

the re9uirement that your halfway house be an ongoingentity rather than a startup.

Types of Government Grants for Halfway

Houses#he primary federal agencies that fund grants for halfway

houses are4

+. the :.$. "ustice epartment,

5. the epartment of ith discretionary grants, federal agencies can

exercise ?udgment in selecting grant recipients

through a competitive grant process.


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appreciate to increase the odds of a successful early

meeting. #hese are intended only as examples, and do not

represent either all the complexities of the specified

systems, or the universe of systems that are critical to re-

entry. $ee 3lements of 3ffective $ocial $ystems, for a

system-by-system outline of some of the key components of

several social systems whose participation is central to re-

entry efforts in any community. &nd ?ust as service systems

may be mysterious to criminal ?ustice practitioners, the

criminal ?ustice system can confuse service system partners.#hese partners may not know the difference betweenprobation and parole or prison and ?ail, for example, or may

assume that a police chief or ?udge can speak for a

?urisdiction8s entire criminal ?ustice system.

#ime spent studying any of these systems will soon make

apparent that each is a patchwork of programs, services, and

funding structures, and, as in the case of criminal ?ustice,

the word AsystemA may very much be a misnomer for each.

>illingness on the part of those spearheading a re-entry

initiative to demonstrate a deeper appreciation of the

challenges facing organi'ations that could become partnerson the initiative will encourage critical representatives to

come to the table with greater understanding and sense of

cooperation.

b. Identify key stakeholders and engage them in a

discussion regarding reentry.

&t the state level, it is relatively easy to identify leadauthorities for distinct systems, such as mental health, labor,

and workforce, although responsibility for one aspect of

prisoner re-entry, such as mental health, rarely seems

concentrated exclusively under one person8s authority. +C

etermining who to engage at the local level, when a?umble of groups, individuals, and organi'ations has a stake

in re-entry in each city or county, is likely to be particularly

vexing.

#he preceding recommendation explained the value of

becoming familiar with the different systems that need to be

represented in the initiative. #hat research should help point

to the various organi'ations that play key roles in a system,

such as the >orkforce Investment Board, which runs the

local /ne-$top. &t the local level, community audits can

help generate an inventory of relevant groups and

individuals. 5C :nfortunately, even an initial list of targetconstituencies and familiarity with their respective systemsdoes not guarantee an audience receptive to a ?oint initiative

around prisoner re-entry.

$ome of these key organi'ations and agencies, at both the

state and local level, might immediately recogni'e the value

of participating in a prisoner re-entry initiative, or they may

already be addressing this issue. &lmost always, however,

there will be at least some reluctance to exploring the

possibility of working together around prisoner re-entry

among some organi'ations whose role is critical to a

prisoner8s safe and successful return to the community.

In these situations, it will be useful to engage some

leadership in the re-entry effort. &ppealing to someone who

is both interested in prisoner re-entry and who exercises

influence over the staff, organi'ation, or agency hesitant to

invest any time in a discussion around this issue can be a

helpful way to get that individual or entity to the re-entry

table. #he chief executive of a ?urisdiction--such as thegovernor, county executive, or mayor--is obviouslyparticularly well situated to exert such influence. It is also

difficult to turn down a re9uest from state legislators, city

council members, or ?udges, whose authority is seen to span

beyond any particular agency.

& state legislature can play a role by creating an oversight

commission for a re-entry initiative. Many states have

legislated the creation of such commissions to coordinate

work groups on sentencing. & few have established more

general commissions or study committees to evaluate and

develop recommendations for improving prison populationmanagement and other aspects of the criminal ?ustice

system, which necessarily includes strategies around re-

entry. (or example, the Maine legislature created the

%ommission to Improve the $upervision, Management, and

Incarceration of 7risoners, which is charged with making

recommendations to reduce prison and ?ail populations, to

reduce corrections costs and recidivism, and to improvepublic safety. C $imilar directives setting up committees

to study prison population management were passed in 6ew

ork 7lans, Recommendation

c, for more on how government officials can appeal to

potential partner agencies in the community in termsdirectly relevant to those agencies.

%areful thought should be given to who will lead the initial

planning discussions. &s indicated earlier, people whose

authority is seen to span multiple organi'ations or agencies

can be particularly effective leaders of an initiative in which

success depends on extensive collaboration. Inevitably, at

least some participants will approach a planning discussion

warily, and will assess who is trying to situate themselves

for a contract or grant, which constituencies are favored by


4/15

virtue of their representation in the initial planning

meetings, or what particular issue area is likely to be

spotlighted. (or these reasons, the chairperson8s role is

particularly important. In some ?urisdictions, assuaging

suspicions of various interest groups is best achieved by

designating two co-chairs of the initiative.

(*ample% Family Life Center +$I,

7lanning discussions around prisoner re-entry, which

resulted in the establishment of the (amily =ife %enter,were chaired by two elected officials4 & state legislator anda city councilman, both with extensive credibility in the

&frican-&merican and =atino communities and among their

peers in ;eneral &ssembly and %ity hen conducted effectively, community audits generate

an inventory of organi'ations large and small, includingthose that serve isolated, ethnic, or low-income

communities. %learinghouses established for particular

systems, the yellow pages, the news media, and staff can be

valuable sources for such an audit. (or more information on

how to conduct a community audit in one relevant system,see >orkforce =earning $trategies, %onducting a

%ommunity &udit4 &ssessing the >orkforce evelopment

6eeds &nd Resources of 2our %ommunity :.$.

epartment of =abor, 3mployment and #raining

&dministration, 5***-*E-*+

c' !efine te scope of te pro"lem'%onvening a broad range of stakeholders to diagnose

existing problems regarding prisoner re-entry is an essential

first step to launching a re-entry initiative. 6evertheless,

rather than galvani'ing action, the results of such a

meeting--typically a laundry list of issues that is hopelesslylong--fre9uently seem paraly'ing. >hile most, if not all, of

these issues will need to be tackled at some point, they

cannot be confronted simultaneously.

#o establish an initial pro?ect, the group should consider

various ways to narrow the discussion, such as focusing on4

a particular issue area within prisoner re-entry e.g.,

housing or

a particular subgroup of people released from prison

e.g., people released to four 'ip codes in one

metropolitan area, female offenders, or

people released to the community without any

postrelease supervision.

In the process of determining what this focus should be, the

9uestion of what issues are most likely to generate political

traction and resources should be taken into account. It is

also important to consider what issues will engageparticular individuals or groups whose investment in the

initiative will make it both viable and credible. /nce aninitial focus is identified, the stakeholder will need data,

which can provide a base of knowledge from which a plan

for moving forward can be developed.

-' !eveloping a .nowledge /ase

/nce the appropriate decision makers are convened, the

next step is to build a knowledge base about the people

affected by reentry, the inventory of community resources

available to meet individual and communal needs and to

ensure safety, and the laws and policies that govern aspects

of reentry in their particular ?urisdiction.

a. :nderstand who is being released from prison.

In order to design and implement reentry initiatives that

meet the needs of returning prisoners, as well as the public

safety concerns of the communities at risk, policymakers

must identify the characteristics of the reentry population.More...

b. Identify what state and local policies influence and

govern re-entry.evelopers of reentry initiatives should become familiar

with local laws, regulations, and various agencies8 policies

and procedures, so that they may align initiatives within

those parameters or determine which ones should be

modified. More...

c. Identify where released prisoners are returning, and

understand the characteristics and service capacities of

those communities.

7olicymakers should seek to inform the development of any

reentry initiative with data such as the locations to which

prisoners return in their ?urisdiction and where reentry

services and resources and supervision offices are sited.

More...

d. :nderstand why released prisoners are reoffending.

6ot all released prisoners re-offend at the same rate, and

understanding why some re-offend and others do not can

inform the design of effective re-entry initiatives. More...

e. 3xamine how prisoners are prepared for re-entry,

supervised, and aided in the transition from prison to

community.


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In order to assess returning prisoners8 needs and how best to

address them, it is important to obtain information about

access to programs and services both in prison or ?ail as

well as within the community. More...

$ource4 #he Report of the Re-3ntry 7olicy %ouncil4

%harting the $afe and $uccessful Return of 7risoners to the

%ommunity , %ouncil of $tate ;overnments "ustice %enter

5**)

.ey $esources

#he Report of the Re-3ntry 7olicy %ouncil4 %harting the

$afe and $uccessful Return of 7risoners to the %ommunity,

%ouncil of $tate ;overnments "ustice %enter 5**)

7art I of the Report of the Re-3ntry 7olicy %ouncil

enumerates many of the considerations and challenges that

policymakers seeking to establish any new re-entry

program, policy, or practice must address to ensure that it

has a solid foundation.

ReadyDReentry4 7risoner Reentry #oolkit for (aith-Based

and %ommunity Initiatives, :.$. epartment of =abor

5**F#his toolkit, based on the ReadyD>ork model, is a

promising practices guide for small to medium si'ed faith-

based and community organi'ations interested in starting or

bolstering their reentry efforts.

Reentry Mapping 6etwork RM6, #he :rban Institute

#he Reentry Mapping 6etwork is a nationwide partnership

between the :rban Institute and organi'ations in +) citiesworking to map and analy'e prisoner reentry and related

issues in their communities. #he website provides

information on reentry mapping and the RM6, along with

resources and sample maps for anyone interested in

developing a reentry mapping pro?ect.Reentry 7artnerships4 & ;uide for $tates G (aith-Based and

%ommunity /rgani'ations, %ouncil of $tate ;overnments

"ustice %enter 5**E

(aith-based and community organi'ations provide critical

reentry services in prisons and ?ails and have extensive

networks to link people to resources that can help them

reenter communities in positive ways. #his guide provides

recommendations to improve collaboration between

government agencies and faith-based and community

organi'ations.

7lanning and &ssessing a =aw 3nforcement Reentry

$trategy, %ouncil of $tate ;overnments "ustice %enter5**E7lanning and &ssessing a =aw 3nforcement Reentry

$trategy integrates information on effective law

enforcement reentry practices with an interactive

assessment to form a toolkit for designing and evaluating

reentry approaches involving law enforcement agencies.

H H H H H

0olicy Statement &% (ncouraging Colla"oration Among

Sta)eolders

3ngage key stakeholders in a ?oint venture regarding

prisoner re-entry and focus the group8s attention on a

particular aspect of the issue.

3very policy statement in this report assumes some degree

of ?oint-venturing between at least two independent

organi'ations or agencies. Indeed, the single most important

common denominator shared among ?urisdictions that have

launched a successful re-entry initiative is that somecollaboration between representatives of at least twoindependent organi'ations preceded the development and

implementation of the program or policy. &ccordingly, the

first step to developing a re-entry initiative must be getting

the appropriate people to the table and eliciting a

commitment to working together on a particular aspect of

the issue.

It is not always obvious, however, who are the relevant let

alone key actors that need to be engaged to make the re-

entry initiative a success. &nd the mere identification of

these stakeholders does not translate into their engagement.etermining how to persuade, or even compel, them to

become invested is often an especially complex task.

#he following recommendations suggest ways to clear this

initial hurdle. /f course, while preliminary discussions

among leaders of distinct organi'ations are a starting point

and a precursor to cooperation and coordination betweensystems, they do not, in and of themselves, translate into

strong partnerships that can withstand changes in leadership

and personnel and sustain the re-entry initiative. +C

3stablishing that degree of collaboration is, without

9uestion, a core challenge in developing a productive re-entry initiative, and it is explored in more detail in Policy

tatement !" Promoting ystems #ntegration and

Coordination.

Recommendations4

&. Recogni'e the complexities of the different systems.

B. Identify key stakeholders and engage them in a

discussion regarding re-entry.

%. efine the scope of the problem.

H H H H H H

7olicy $tatement +B

3ngage key stakeholders in a ?oint venture regarding

prisoner re-entry and focus the group8s attention on a

particular aspect of the issue.

Recommendation B4 Identify key stakeholders and engage

them in a discussion regarding re-entry.

&t the state level, it is relatively easy to identify lead

authorities for distinct systems, such as mental health, labor,


6/15

and workforce, although responsibility for one aspect of

prisoner re-entry, such as mental health, rarely seems

concentrated exclusively under one person8s authority.+

etermining who to engage at the local level, when a

?umble of groups, individuals, and organi'ations has a stake

in re-entry in each city or county, is likely to be particularly

vexing.

#he preceding recommendation explained the value of

becoming familiar with the different systems that need to berepresented in the initiative. #hat research should help pointto the various organi'ations that play key roles in a system,

such as the >orkforce Investment Board, which runs the

local /ne-$top. &t the local level, community audits can

help generate an inventory of relevant groups and

individuals. 5 :nfortunately, even an initial list of target

constituencies and familiarity with their respective systems

does not guarantee an audience receptive to a ?oint initiative

around prisoner re-entry.

$ome of these key organi'ations and agencies, at both the

state and local level, might immediately recogni'e the valueof participating in a prisoner re-entry initiative, or they may

already be addressing this issue. &lmost always, however,

there will be at least some reluctance to exploring the

possibility of working together around prisoner re-entry

among some organi'ations whose role is critical to a

prisoner8s safe and successful return to the community.

In these situations, it will be useful to engage some

leadership in the re-entry effort. &ppealing to someone who

is both interested in prisoner re-entry and who exercises

influence over the staff, organi'ation, or agency hesitant to

invest any time in a discussion around this issue can be ahelpful way to get that individual or entity to the re-entry

table. #he chief executive of a ?urisdiction--such as the

governor, county executive, or mayor--is obviously

particularly well situated to exert such influence. It is also

difficult to turn down a re9uest from state legislators, city

council members, or ?udges, whose authority is seen to span

beyond any particular agency.

& state legislature can play a role by creating an oversight

commission for a re-entry initiative. Many states have

legislated the creation of such commissions to coordinate

work groups on sentencing. & few have established moregeneral commissions or study committees to evaluate anddevelop recommendations for improving prison population

management and other aspects of the criminal ?ustice

system, which necessarily includes strategies around re-

entry. (or example, the Maine legislature created the

%ommission to Improve the $upervision, Management, and

Incarceration of 7risoners, which is charged with making

recommendations to reduce prison and ?ail populations, to

reduce corrections costs and recidivism, and to improve

public safety. C $imilar directives setting up committees to

study prison population management were passed in 6ew

ork 7lans, Recommendation

c, for more on how government officials can appeal to

potential partner agencies in the community in terms

directly relevant to those agencies.

%areful thought should be given to who will lead the initial

planning discussions. &s indicated earlier, people whose

authority is seen to span multiple organi'ations or agencies

can be particularly effective leaders of an initiative in whichsuccess depends on extensive collaboration. Inevitably, at

least some participants will approach a planning discussion

warily, and will assess who is trying to situate themselves

for a contract or grant, which constituencies are favored by

virtue of their representation in the initial planning

meetings, or what particular issue area is likely to be

spotlighted. (or these reasons, the chairperson8s role isparticularly important. In some ?urisdictions, assuaging

suspicions of various interest groups is best achieved by

designating two co-chairs of the initiative.

3xample4 (amily =ife %enter RI

7lanning discussions around prisoner re-entry, which

resulted in the establishment of the (amily =ife %enter,

were chaired by two elected officials4 & state legislator and

a city councilman, both with extensive credibility in the

&frican-&merican and =atino communities and among their

peers in ;eneral &ssembly and %ity


7/15

5. >hen conducted effectively, community audits generate

an inventory of organi'ations large and small, including

those that serve isolated, ethnic, or low-income

communities. %learinghouses established for particular

systems, the yellow pages, the news media, and staff can be

valuable sources for such an audit. (or more information on

how to conduct a community audit in one relevant system,

see >orkforce =earning $trategies, %onducting a

%ommunity &udit4 &ssessing the >orkforce evelopment

6eeds &nd Resources of 2our %ommunity :.$.epartment of =abor, 3mployment and #raining&dministration, 5***-*E-*+.

H H H H H

Te importance of employment in te reentry

process

Introduction4

>ith mounting research, it is clear there are significant

benefits for our communities in helping men and women

that have been in prison, ?ail, or on probation or parole find

employment4

hat variousstudies do suggest is that to reduce criminal behaviors andrecidivism, corrections professionals and employment

service providers must address individuals antisocial

attitudes and beliefs associated with crime, many of which

also impact an individuals ability to succeed in the

workplace.

#he value of integrating the workforce development,

corrections, and reentry systems

3mployment is a point at which the goals of the criminal

?ustice, workforce development, family services, health and

human services, and social services systems can converge.

>ith 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 systems investments can be

reali'ed by better coordinating the correctional supervision,treatment, supports, and other services being delivered atthat point of convergence to individuals who have been

incarcerated or are on probation or parole.

#here is significant overlap between the factors that make

someone more at risk to reoffend and those that impact

employability. &ntisocial attitudes, beliefs, peers, and

personality patterns, which research supports are the

strongest predictors of recidivism, clearly affect how

someone might perform in the workplace. Individuals with

these characteristics tend to have more negative attitudes

about working, less stable employment histories, and anunwillingness to take low-paying ?obs. &s such, workforce

development agencies and employment service providers

interested in improving outcomes for individuals with

criminal histories should draw from criminal ?ustice best

practices and collaborate with corrections professionals to

develop integrated responses.

$ection I4 >hat >orks to Reduce Recidivism

#his section of the white paper discusses three key

principles that research has shown will lead to recidivism

reduction when effectively applied to correctionsinterventions, and how they apply to employment services

and program delivery for individuals with criminal

histories.


8/15

among this group. %onversely, intensive interventions for

individuals who are at a low risk of recidivism may actually

be harmful and contribute to increasing the persons

likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior.


9/15

order to reduce reoffending. (or employment service

providers serving people with criminal histories, the R6R

principles help determine where resources can have the

greatest impact not only on improving the likelihood that

individuals can connect to the workforce, but also on

increasing public safety by reducing their chances of future

criminal activity.

5. R6R principles promote a cost-effective approach by

ensuring that resources are focused on individuals withcriminal histories who need services most, and are notmisspent on individuals with criminal histories who are

likely to succeed with little or no interventions or worse,

increase recidivism by interrupting prosocial activities and

exposing low-risk individuals unnecessarily to high-risk

releasees or probationers.

. !alidated, ob?ective riskKneeds assessments are essential

for effectively implementing the R6R principles. #o the

extent that information from these assessments can be

appropriately shared by corrections with workforce

development professionals and other reentry or community-based service providers, the results can enhance service

matching including for responsivity issues and reduce the

burden of conducting multiple screenings.

D. (or individuals with antisocial thinking, behaviors,

personality patterns, and peers, cognitive behavioral

interventions may be needed both to reduce their likelihoodof reoffending and to prepare them for the workplace.

Responsivity issues such as learning disabilities and mental,

physical, or substance use disorders may also need to be

addressed before corrections or employment interventions

can be successful.

). #he resource-allocation and service-matching tool begins

with the application of R6R principles to ensure individuals

who have been under corrections control are grouped by

risk of future criminal behavior. In doing so, it makes

certain that both employment services and recidivism-

reduction interventions including probation or parole

supervision are tailored to individual needs.

Section II% Improving Outcomes for Hard1to1(mploy

Individuals

#his section of the white paper outlines common challenges

faced by hard-to-employ individuals, including those with

criminal histories, discusses workforce development

strategies to improve individuals level of ?ob readiness, and

presents five 0service-delivery principles1 that can be

applied to workforce developmentK?ob readiness

interventions to address criminogenic risk factors.%hallenges faced by hard-to-employ individuals

#he term 0hard to employ1 can be used to describe

individuals who, owing to their personal issues and external

factors, have a particularly difficult time connecting to the

labor market. %haracteristics associated with people who

are hard to employ include, for example, challenges with

transportation and housing, education and skill deficits, and

health or other needs that impair an individuals ability to

attain and retain employment including responsivity

factors. #able + lists some of the common characteristics of

hard-to-employ individuals.

Individuals with criminal records are often considered a

subgroup of the hard-to-employ population because having

a criminal record can create significant additional barriers to

employment, including4

statutory limitations on accessing particular professionsemployer reluctance to hire individuals with criminal

records

logistical issues resulting from the terms of an individuals

release or supervision


10/15

0romising wor)force development strategies

#here are many programs that have been used over the past

several decades in the workforce development field to help

hard-to-employ individuals, including those with criminal

histories. #his section discusses eight components of

programs that, when combined based on individual need,

have shown promising results for improving individuals

level of ?ob readiness and employment outcomes.

+. 3ducation and #raining

3ducation and training cover a wide range of programs,including &dult Basic 3ducation &B3, ;eneral3ducational evelopment ;3 preparation and

certification, and post-secondary coursework, including

vocational training. 3ducation and training are key

components of ?ob-readiness preparation and are critically

important for increasing access to higher-9uality

employment opportunities. >hether an individual receives

basic education, post-secondary education, or more

technical training is dependent on his or her distinct set of

needs.

5. $oftK%ognitive-$kill evelopment

$oft-skill development, including addressing cognitive-

related attitudinal issues, is crucial for promoting

individuals success in the workplace. #ypical soft-skill

programming includes instruction on how to be professional

on the ?ob, how to manage conflicts with coworkers or

superiors, and how to manage time to ensure punctuality.

epending on individuals deficits, they may be taughtthese skills prior to ?ob placement, on the ?ob, or both.

. #ransitional-"ob 7lacements

#ransitional ?obs are a type of subsidi'ed employmentprogram in which temporary, income-generating

employment is provided to hard-to-employ individuals with

the goal of improving their employability through work

experience, skills development, and supportive services.

>hat distinguishes transitional ?obs from other subsidi'ed

employment is that they are intended to be a temporary,

developmental experience that helps individuals learn and

apply basic work-readiness skills to improve their

competitiveness in the ?ob market.

D. 6on-skill-Related Interventions

#here are a number of additional challenges that mayprevent an individual from finding and maintainingemployment that cannot be directly addressed by traditional

?ob preparation strategies. 6eeds related to an individuals

ability to learn or respond to programming, such as a

serious mental illness, learning disability, or substance

abuse issue, may need to be addressed in order for the

participant to benefit from an employment program. =ess

serious problems may be addressed concurrent with other

programming. =ogistical challenges, including the need for

stable housing, clothing, identification, transportation, and

child care, may also prevent an individual from obtaining or

holding a ?ob.

). 6on-transitional $ubsidi'ed 3mployment

7rograms providing subsidi'ed employment but not

0transitional ?obs1 pay some of participants wages for a

trial period, during which the employers andKor program

provides training and support services to better prepare

participants for permanent, unsubsidi'ed employment.:nlike transitional ?obs, subsidi'ed employment placements

typically can convert into permanent ?obs for the individual

after the subsidy period ends.


11/15

F. "ob evelopment and %oaching

"ob development and coaching services are intended to

connect an individual with unsubsidi'ed employment

opportunities. "ob developers work with local employers to

identify ?ob openings. In contrast, ?ob coaches help prepare

the individual for a ?ob searchJdeveloping a resume,

searching for appropriate ?obs, and completing the

application process.

. Retention and &dvancement $ervicesRetention and career advancement services are typicallyprovided to individuals after placement in an unsubsidi'ed

?ob to assist with any issues that have the potential to impact

tenure. $ervices may include helping hard-to-employ

individuals identify and address problems, or assisting with

reemployment in cases of ?ob loss. $taff may also work to

match clients with higher-paying ?obs or education

opportunities to promote advancement

E. (inancial >ork Incentives

Incentives, typically in the form of supplemental monthly

cash payments, can encourage ?ob retention. #his workincentive model was developed in the +NN*s during welfare

reform efforts and has been shown to increase employment

rates. 7ayments can be provided for retaining employment

or for moving to higher-9uality ?obs to encourage

advancement as measured by higher wages, better benefits,

or full-time instead of part-time employment.

Implementing a comprehensive initiative that incorporates

?ob readiness, placement, and retention components is a

significant challenge for fiscally strapped municipalities,

counties, and states. /pportunities for ?ob placement

continue to be very limited due to labor market conditions

and pressure to reduce public-sector payrolls. &s such, it is

critical that employment service providers triage their

resources according to the ?ob-readiness needs of

individuals, as shown in this segment of the resource-

allocation and service-matching tool4

Integrating ris)1reduction strategies into employment

programs

#he way employment programs are implemented servicedelivery can impact recidivism reduction by providing a

prosocial, structured, positive environment. #here are five

basic service-delivery principles that emerge when

examining how employment program components can be

carried out to both reduce recidivism and improve

workforce outcomes. #hese principles embrace the tenets of

R6R and can help shape employment programs in ways

that position them to assist participants in avoiding criminal

activity, and ultimately enhance their level of employability

as well.

3ngagement4 &ddress antisocial thinking and behavior

through high-impact staff and client interactions e.g.,

mentoring relationships or cognitive-based interventions.

#iming4 7rovide services shortly before or directly at

release, or at the start of community supervision, to address

individuals immediate problems, and adapt the services toindividuals changing needs over time.

Incentives4 Increase motivation for positive change and ?ob

performance with such measures as stipends for maintaining


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employment and peer-supported recognition for program

completion.

%oordination4 %ollaborate with corrections, workforce, and

reentry professionals and other service providers to ensure

that interventions are provided in ways that support

recidivism reduction and employment goals.

$tructured #ime4 /rgani'e individuals time with effective

programming and positive activities to minimi'eopportunities for criminal actions and time with antisocialpeers.

It is critical that the intensity of service delivery provided to

individuals is driven by their individual risk-levels and

needs. (or example, higher-risk individuals will need more

intensive engagement immediately following release or at

the beginning of supervision. #his group may need greater

incentives, coordination, and structure as employment

program services are delivered. Intensity can refer to the

number of services an individual re9uires, the fre9uency

with which a particular service is provided, and the

characteristics of the interaction or engagement with theparticipant. By modifying the intensity of service delivery,

employment program components can be tailored to better

address individual risk factors. (or instance, an individual

may only re9uire one type of ?ob-preparation service, but

can be enrolled in a program that meets daily to increase its

intensity.

Ley #akeaways from $ection II

+. 7eople returning to the community from correctional

facilities or who are under probation or parole supervision

represent a subgroup of the hard-to-employ population thatmany &merican "ob %enters and workforce development

practitioners already serve on a daily basis. &lthough

individuals with criminal records share many of the same

challenges as the hard-to-employ population, they have

additional barriers to employment that must be addressed.

5. #here are workforce program components that can be

used for individuals with criminal histories to improve their

employment outcomes, including education and training,

softKcognitive-skill development, transitional-?ob

placements, non-skill-related interventions, subsidi'ed

employment, ?ob development and coaching, ?ob retentionand advancement services, and financial work incentives. Inmost circumstances, program components need to be used

in combination to meet individuals complex needs as they

change over time. Research has shown that simply helping a

high-riskKhigh-need individual with a criminal history who

is not ?ob ready to write a resume and apply for ?obs is not

enough.

. #he factors that put an individual at higher risk of

recidivating criminogenic attitudes and behaviors, in

particular can have a significant impact on employability.

&s such, workforce development agencies and employment

service providers interested in improving outcomes for

individuals with criminal histories should draw from

criminal ?ustice best practices and collaborate with

corrections professionals that conduct riskKneeds

assessments to develop integrated responses.

D. #o use resources most effectively, individuals should be

grouped first by level of risk, followed by a secondassessment to determine ?ob-readiness levels.istinguishing which people with criminal histories are

more ?ob ready and which are less ?ob ready will help guide

the service-matching activities that provide the right

combination of employment program components.

). &merican "ob %enters, as well as other workforce-

development providers and their partners in the community,

can be positioned to improve both employment and reentry

outcomes for individuals with criminal histories. #his

re9uires the application of service-delivery principles how

to do it to the employment program components what todo. #hese service-delivery principles embrace R6R tenets

and re9uire policymakers and practitioners to pay particular

attention to how individuals are engaged, the timing of

engagement, incentives for program participants,

coordination across systems that serve this population, and

how individuals time is structured.

$ection III4 #he Resource-&llocation and $ervice-Matching

#ool

#his section outlines the full resource-allocation andservice-matching tool, and discusses ways it can be used for

decision-making at a program administrator or policymaker

level, as well as to guide individual case management

decisions.

#he Resource-&llocation and $ervice-Matching #ool

#he resource-allocation and service-matching tool has been

developed to help with the assessment and resource-

management process and to guide the development of

integrated service responses across the corrections,

employment, and reentry fields. It is based on two keydimensions4 the risk of reincarceration and ?ob readiness,which are used for grouping individuals being released from

prison or ?ail or who are under community supervision.

#here are four groupings that result from these two

assessments, and each can be tied to a combination of

corrections and supervision policies, employment program

components, and service-delivery strategies.


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:sing the Resource-&llocation and $ervice-Matching #ool

to make systems-level decisions

3very ?urisdiction has a distinct web of community-based

service providers that can be used to reduce the likelihood a

person will commit a crime in the future. RiskKneeds and

?ob-readiness assessments can help reveal the numbers of

individuals with criminal histories that re9uire a range of

employment-readiness and placement services. #his

information then can be used to help identify gaps in

community-based service provider expertise or inade9uatecapacity. $creening and assessment information can helppolicymakers and administrators better understand the si'e

of the population of individuals who may avoid a costly

reincarceration if given proper services and supports. In

particular, the assessment results can help administrators

determine what types of coordinated reentryKemployment

services should be made available for individuals returning

from incarceration or who are under supervision. &fter

assessments have been conducted, it should be clear what

proportion of the targeted population falls into each of the

four riskKreadiness groupings, and how to shift resources to

account for this distribution of needs.

#he tool is also meant to help practitioners and program

administrators meet demands for accountability by

providing data-driven criteria to guide decision making. (or

example, if there are only +** slots for a particular

employment program, and the riskKneeds assessment ranks

+)* potential program participants as at high criminogenic

risk with high need for services, it may be necessary to

examine that group more closely to further distinguish those

whose receipt of interventions would make the biggest

impact on recidivism and employment outcomes.&dditionally, if a lower-risk group is taking up some of theslots for services that affect employability, then it is worth

considering whether some of those spaces could be freed up

to serve individuals that will benefit more from the service.

>hile these decisions can be difficult, the sorting tool can

help guide these choices on how to make the most efficient

use of public resources so that neighborhoods and families

reap the greatest benefits.

2sing te $esource1Allocation and Service13atcing

Tool for individual case management decisions

By applying the principles associated with risk reduction toemployment program components, service packages can be


14/15

tailored to address individuals distinct criminogenic and

?ob-readiness needs.

;roups and D4 #he


15/15

competitive in the labor market. #hese characteristics

generally include personal and family challenges, education

and hard skill deficits, soft skill deficits or related attitudinal

issues, and other needs that may impair individuals ability

to attain and retain employment including what the R6R

model considers 0responsivity1 factors. It is common for

less ?ob-ready individuals to have multiple, complex needs@

although it is also possible for a single severe problem to

prevent readiness. $ervices to address these obstacles to ?ob

placement are referred to as ?ob-readiness or ?ob preparationservices throughout the white paper.

6o"1$eadiness Assessments%#ypically a structured series

of 9uestions to help collect consistent, useful information

from potential program participants. Most ?ob-readiness

assessments commonly ask 9uestions about a persons

history of employment@ education and certification

accomplishments@ and attitude toward work, general

motivation, and resilience when disappointment occurs.

$ecidivism%#he repetition of criminal or delin9uent

behavior, most often measured as a new arrest, conviction,or return to prison andKor ?ail for the commission of a new

crime or for the violation of conditions of supervision.

RiskK6eeds &ssessment4 & comprehensive examination and

evaluation of both dynamic changeable and static

historical andKor demographic criminogenic factors that

predict risk of recidivism. Results can be used to guide

decisions about services, placements, supervision, andsentencing in some cases.

i. "oe ;raffam, &lison $hinkfield, Barbara =avelle, and

>enda Mc7herson, 0!ariables &ffecting

$uccessful Reintegration as 7erceived by /ffenders and7rofessionals,1 "ournal of /ffender Rehabilitation D*, no.

+K5 5**D4 +DO++

ii. 3dward ". =atessa, 0>hy the Risk and 6eeds 7rinciples

&re Relevant to %orrectional 7rograms 3ven to

3mployment 7rograms,1 &merican $ociety of %riminology

+*, no. D 5*++4 NON

iii. Bonta and &ndrews, Risk-6eed-Responsivity Model for

/ffender &ssessment and Rehabilitation.

iv. on &. &ndrews, Ivan Pinger, Robert .

misc research on prison reentry programs

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