NCJ Number
118278
Date Published
1988
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Maryland currently has two main mechanisms for the placement of ex-offenders in private employment: The Cooperative Assistance and Resources for Employment (Project Care) and the job placement services of State Use Industries.
Abstract
Both services work with ex-offenders who have had skill training, employment experience, or both. State Use Industries operates in a manner similar to a private business in that its operations are funded through the profits generated by the sales of goods and services. The organization also trains inmate employees to prepare them for their return to the community. A followup study of 65 ex-offenders showed that 58 obtained employment after release and that 75 percent worked at least half-time. Hourly wages averaged $5.95. A board that includes representatives of business and labor advises the organization's general manager. Project Care provides job readiness and placement services to recently released ex-offenders. The project operates on a referral system from corrections agencies. From July 1987 through March 1988, a total of 707 ex-offenders were referred to Project Care. Of these, 328 registered for services and 177 were placed. Project care placements were concentrated in lower-skill occupations and had an average hourly wage of $4.39. The relatively strong labor market and declining unemployment rate in Baltimore may have resulted in a higher percentage of self-placements during the reporting period. Tables.