NCJ Number
206715
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 55 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2004 Pages: 133-146
Date Published
June 2004
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study identified the perceived barriers to employment incarcerated youth face upon release.
Abstract
When trying to identify perceived barriers to employment incarcerated youth face, the research is clustered into three main areas: types of barriers historically identified in the literature, how the perception of barriers affects vocational behavior, and assessing the construct of barriers to employment. Due to the uniqueness of this population, a measure tool was designed entitled My Future Employment Outlook to assess the incarcerated youths particular perceptions. Three hundred seventeen male residents at a southwestern juvenile correction facility in Arizona participated in the study. The researchers attempted to assess all residents of the facility; however this was not possible because not all residents attended school during the day. Participation in the study was on a voluntary basis. Respondents ranged from 12 to 18 years with a mean age 15.97. The setting of the study was the school within the correctional facility. The students were assessed in their classrooms during normal school hours. Considering the short attention span of the students being assessed and the time needed for the administration, the final instrument was limited to 46 items. A step-by-step procedure explaining administration of the instrument was then provided. Any questions were addressed at that time. Barriers perceived by the majority of respondents fell into several categories: deviant behavior, pre-employment and work maturity skills, physical appearance, and interpersonal skills. Obstacles most often perceived by youthful offenders were possession of a criminal record, poor school performance, drug and alcohol use, not having the right skills for the job, and lack of experience in the world of work. Future research on the perceived barriers of youthful offenders may allow participants to generate their own responses to the types of barriers perceived and begin teaching youth on how to deal with or overcome those barriers. Some barriers may be surmountable while others are not. References