NCJ Number
44412
Date Published
1976
Length
219 pages
Annotation
FACTORS INFLUENCING OFFENDERS' POSTRELEASE EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS ARE EXPLORED IN AN ANALYSIS BASED ON DATA FROM AN EARLIER STUDY OF THE EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCES OF INMATES FROM A MARYLAND STATE PRISON.
Abstract
THE BASE STUDY INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF TWO TREATMENTS -- JOB PLACEMENT SERVICES AND FINANCIAL AID -- ON THE POSTRELEASE EXPERIENCES OF 432 INMATES. THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY ARE REVIEWED, AND A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OTHER RESEARCH ON PRISONERS AND EMPLOYMENT IS PRESENTED. A DISCUSSION IS PRESENTED OF THE CONCEPTS OF HUMAN CAPITAL THEORY AND LABOR MARKET DETERMINANTS OF EMPLOYMENT. THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE -- WEEKS EMPLOYED DURING THE FOLLOWUP PERIOD AFTER RELEASE FROM PRISON -- TO BE USED IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE MARYLAND DATA IS CONSTRUCTED AND ANALYZED. THE NONECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF EMPLOYMENT (E.G., RACE, ETHNICITY, SEX) ARE EXPLORED IN THE MARYLAND SAMPLE, AS ARE THE EFFECTS OF PAST EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCES, SKILL LEVELS, OCCUPATIONAL EXPERIENCES, AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES ON POSTRELEASE EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS. PREDICTOR MODELS ARE DEVELOPED AND EVALUATED. THE FOLLOWING MAJOR IMPLICATIONS ARE NOTED: TRADITIONAL HUMAN CAPITAL VARIABLES HAVE LITTLE RELEVANCE FOR OFFENDERS; JOB STABILITY MEASURES ARE BETTER PREDICTORS OF EMPLOYMENT, BUT ARE SUBJECT TO AMBIGUITIES OF INTERPRETATION; HAVING A JOB ARRANGED UPON RELEASE, HAVING MONEY UPON RELEASE, AND PAROLEE STATUS ALL HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON EMPLOYMEMT; A MILIEU OF SOCIAL CONTACTS IS MORE CONDUCIVE TO POSTRELEASE EMPLOYMENT THAN IS A MILIEU OF ISOLATION; UNION-BACKED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS WOULD PROBABLY HAVE POSITIVE RESULTS FOR SOME OFFENDERS; AND THE TIMING AND DURATION OF POSTRELEASE TREATMENT PROGRAMS DEPENDS ON SPECIFICATION OF TARGET POPULATIONS AS GOOD OR POOR RISKS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED.