NCJ Number
206976
Journal
Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 66 Issue: 5 Dated: August 2004 Pages: 128-129
Date Published
August 2004
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article presents future labor force predictions and offers strategic recruitment advice to correctional agencies.
Abstract
Projections for the future labor force through 2012 indicate that the available labor population is becoming increasingly diverse. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics predict that the male labor force will grow 10 percent between 2002 and 2012, while women’s share of the labor force is expected to increase 47.5 percent by 2012. Moreover, due to high immigration rates and higher than average fertility rates, the Asian and Hispanic labor force groups are expected to increase by 47.6 percent and 32.6 percent, respectively. Coupled with these changes in the labor pool, research has indicated that by 2010, the corrections field may experience a shortage of 4 million to 6 million qualified personnel due to the retirement of about 76 million baby boomers. Thus, it is imperative that the corrections industry strategize on how to recruit a diverse workforce that represents slightly more female personnel and significantly more minority personnel. The authors suggest four low-cost strategies for effective corrections recruiting: (1) a diversity management task force should be created within the agency to focus on diversity issues, including recruitment and retention; (2) corrections should partner with local community crime prevention programs to increase visibility among minority populations; (3) corrections professionals should interact with citizens at neighborhood association meetings; and (4) corrections professionals should interact with the community through exhibits and informational booths at local cultural heritage festivals and other special events. The Nation’s correctional agencies need to develop sound recruitment strategies that focus on the increasingly female and minority labor pools in order to ensure the growing correctional employment opportunities remain filled with qualified personnel. Tables