NCJ Number
40756
Journal
Monthly Labor Review Dated: (DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 31-39
Date Published
1976
Length
9 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF THE POST-RELEASE LABOR MARKET ACTIVITY OF A RANDOMLY CHOSEN SAMPLE OF 641 MEN WHO WERE IMPRISONED IN NORTH CAROLINA IN 1969 OR 1971.
Abstract
THE ACTIVITIES OF MEN IN THE SAMPLE (30 PERCENT OF WHOM WERE FELONS) WERE FOLLOWED FROM THREE TO 71 MONTHS, WITH AN AVERAGE FOLLOW-UP PERIOD OF 37 MONTHS. PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WERE CARRIED OUT BETWEEN JULY 1973 AND JUNE 1974 WITH THE 74 PERCENT (453 MEN) OF THE SAMPLE WHO AGREED TO BE INTERVIEWED. THE INCOME EARNED BY THE EX-OFFENDERS WAS 70 PERCENT BELOW THE MEAN INCOME FOR ADULT MEN, BUT TWO AND ONE-QUARTER TIMES THE POVERTY LEVEL. THE JOBS HELD WHILE ON WORK RELEASE AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER RELEASE WERE THE LOWEST PAYING AND THE LOWEST SKILLED. MEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE WORK RELEASE PROGRAM EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, HIGHER WAGES, AND LONGER JOB TENURE THAN THOSE WHO DID NOT. IN GENERAL, THE LABOR MARKET FACING EX-OFFENDERS IMPROVED WITH TIME FROM RELEASE, WITH THE MOST ECONOMICALLY DIFFICULT TIME COMING IMMEDIATELY AFTER RELEASE. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT PROGRAMS AIMED AT ENCOURAGING GOOD JOB HABITS (PARTICULARLY WORK STABILITY), AIDING EX-OFFENDERS ECONOMICALLY IN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER RELEASE, AND ENCOURAGING THE FORMATION OF MORE REALISTIC ESTIMATES OF THEIR ECONOMIC POSITION ON RELEASE COULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL IN DEALING WITH FRUSTRATIONS WHICH COULD CAUSE A RETURN TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.