Strategies to Prepare Justice-Involved Individuals for Reentry: Programs, Pathways, and Mentoring

Evaluating Recidivism and Job Quality Outcomes
The Hoosier Initiative for Reentry Employment (HIRE) program provides employment assistance to Indiana residents with felony offenses. This impact study examined whether HIRE participants who obtained jobs after release from prison had lower recidivism rates than the comparison group of all persons released from Indiana prisons in 2014. Employed HIRE participants were less likely to be reincarcerated between one and two years after release than comparison group members. The researchers noted statistically significant existing differences between the treatment and comparison groups before the intervention, such as the average length of incarceration, types of crimes, and other unobserved differences that could explain the differences in outcomes.

Freedom to Achieve Pathways and Practices for Economic Advancement After Incarceration
Workforce system solutions can assist the reentry population to be well-positioned for employment with opportunities to advance. This report examines the unique challenges facing the justice-involved and the pros and cons of traditional workforce development models in light of those factors. The researchers highlight pivotal workforce development strategies to support formerly incarcerated people and examine anti-racist strategies to end existing disparities. Some recommendations are 1) to ensure that people that experienced the justice system are core stakeholders in all aspects of workforce redesign efforts, 2) to establish cross-sector collaboratives and align systems, integrate evidence-based models, 3) to align systems to provide education and training for people with records to achieve more inclusive and equitable practices.

Mentoring as a Component of Reentry: Practical Considerations from the Field
“Adults in the criminal justice system may return from incarceration to families and communities that lack sufficient natural social supports and the resources to support positive reentry outcomes.” This brief presents five recommended components of adult reentry programs based on lessons learned from 150 Second Chance Act mentoring grant recipients with examples from programs in nine states. The researchers recommend that mentors are equipped to support reentry goals by training them on skills that will support case management objectives, address participant engagement, promote prosocial attitudes and behaviors, and facilitate relationship building.

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• Posted by: Alexander Fones
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies