NCJ Number
47041
Date Published
1976
Length
32 pages
Annotation
A 16-MONTH PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE WORK ORIENTATION, JOB PLACEMENT, AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT-RELATED SERVICES TO EX-OFFENDERS IN BALTIMORE, MD., IS EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE IMPACT MANPOWER SERVICES (IMS) PROGRAM, USING BOTH LEAA FUNDS AND COMPREHENSIVE EMPLOYMENT TRAINING ACT RESOURCES, PROVIDED A 5-DAY WORKSHOP ON JOB ACQUISITION TECHNIQUES AND WORK ORIENTATION; CLIENT ASSESSMENT; UNSUBSIDIZED AND SUBSIDIZED JOB PLACEMENT REFERRALS; AND SKILL TRAINING REFERRALS. THE PROGRAM'S CLIENTS WERE REFERRED PRIMARILY FROM COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS FACILITIES AND FROM THE CITY JAIL, COMMUNITY DRUG AGENCIES, STATE INSTITUTIONS, PAROLE AND PROBATION AGENCIES, AND OTHER SOURCES. THE TYPICAL IMS CLIENTS WAS YOUNG (18-26), MALE, BLACK, AND SINGLE. NEARLY HALF OF THE CLIENTS HAD BEEN RECIDIVISTS BEFORE PARTICIPATING IN IMS. ONLY 4.5 PERCENT HAD A GOOD WORK HISTORY. IMS OFFERED A JOB SKILLS WORKSHOP TO ALL OF ITS CLIENTS (536 ENTERED THE WORKSHOP, 500 COMPLETED IT) AND PROVIDED PLACEMENT SERVICES FOR 45 PERCENT OF THE CLIENTS. AS RATED BY IMS STAFF, THREE-FOURTHS OF THE WORKSHOP CLIENTS DEMONSTRATED HIGH EMPLOYMENT MOTIVATION AND SUCCESSFULLY MASTERED THE SKILLS INCLUDED IN THE WORKSHOP. AT THE TIME OF 90-DAY FOLLWOUP, 44.7 PERCENT OF THE IMS CLIENTS HAD POSITIVE OUTCOMES (EMPLOYED, PARTICIPATING OR PLANNING TO PARTICIPATE IN JOB TRAINING OR OTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS). ON THE BASIS OF IMS EXPERIENCES, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROVIDING MANPOWER SERVICES FOR EX-OFFENDERS ARE OFFERED. COMMENTS ON THE IMS EVALUATION DESIGN AND ON THE CONCEPTUAL PROBLEMS OF USING RECIDIVISM AS AN OUTCOME MEASURE ARE INCLUDED. IT IS NOTED THAT THE SERVICE MODEL GENERATED BY THE IMS PROJECT HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO BALTIMORE'S MANPOWER SYSTEM. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)