NCJ Number
47037
Date Published
1976
Length
67 pages
Annotation
A RESIDENTIAL, EMPLOYMENT-ORIENTED PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP INMATES PREPARE TO REENTER THE COMMUNITY IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED.
Abstract
DURING ITS 18 MONTHS OF OPERATION, THE MINNESOTA METROPOLITAN TRAINING CENTER SERVED 272 CLIENTS TRANSFERRED FROM MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON SETTINGS APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH PRIOR TO RELEASE. THE CENTER'S PRERELEASE PROGRAM PROVIDED THE CLIENTS WITH INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, WORKSHOPS IN JOB-SEEKING SKILLS, AND REFERRALS TO OTHER PUBLIC RESOURCES. THE MAJOR EMPHASIS WAS ON EMPLOYMENT MOTIVATION. THE PROGRAM IS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF THE FULLFILLMENT OF ITS OBJECTIVES, THE PAROLE PERFORMANCE OF CLIENTS, AND JOB SATISFACTION. THE POSITIVE TRAINING RATINGS OF PROGRAM CLIENTS INDICATE THAT THE PROGRAM WAS SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING IN THE REINTEGRATION PROCESS. INMATES WERE PROVIDED WITH INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND WERE ASSISTED SIGNIFICANTLY IN FINDING EMPLOYMENT. CLIENTS WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS WITHIN THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE POSITIVE PAROLE PERFORMANCE. PAROLE REVOCATIONS WERE MORE COMMON FOR CLIENTS WITH NO PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE AND FOR CLIENTS WHO EARNED SMALLER SALARIES (PARTICULARLY UNDER $300 PER MONTH). FOLLOWUP DATA REVEAL A SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION BETWEEN JOB-FINDING SUCCESS AND SELF-CONFIDENCE IN SKILL. THERE IS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE PAROLE PERFORMANCE OF PRERELEASE CLIENTS AND OFFENDERS RELEASED DIRECTLY TO PAROLE, ALTHOUGH PROGRAM CLIENTS DID SOMEWHAT BETTER IN PAROLE PERFORMANCE THAN DID THEIR MATCHED COUNTERPARTS ON REGULAR PAROLE. SUPPORTING DATA, INCLUDING BREAKDOWNS OF CLIENTS' PAROLE PERFORMANCE BY PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS (ETHNIC BACKGROUND, AGE, EDUCATION, ETC.), ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)