NCJ Number
78064
Date Published
1981
Length
26 pages
Annotation
The needs of Hispanic ex-offenders are identified, and the relevance of available re-entry and support services for them is examined.
Abstract
The successful re-entry of ex-offenders has been shown to be heavily dependent upon their obtaining and maintaining employment. Because young Hispanics have the highest percentage of unemployed persons by ethnic group and age and the number of Hispanic ex-offenders continues to increase, it is crucial that re-entry and support programs be targeted for this group. However, this glaring need has not been made evident, largely because Federal criminal justice data have not differentiated Hispanics from white or black groupings. While there are some excellent re-entry and support programs that target Hispanic ex-offenders and provide counseling and assistance in finding jobs and housing, along with other programs that designed to increase employability and social adjustment, such programs are rare in the areas where they are most needed. The subcommittee on the employment of the ex-offender of the Correctional Consortium of California has offered recommendations which include (1) increasing the relevancy of prison vocational education and prison industries, (2) improving the effectiveness of Hispanics' involvement in work release programs, (3) increasing the visibility of ex-offenders as a target group for funding, and (4) expanding the battery of job services and job options available to ex-offenders. Recommendations directed specifically at Hispanic needs include providing culturally relevant socialization, job preparation, and re-entry services, and improving Hispanic staffing and bilingual institutional programs to better serve Hispanic inmates. A bibliography contains 17 listings, and appended data describe the inmate population and the unemployment index; population growth rates among whites, blacks, and Hispanics; and employment opportunities available for undereducated youth.