NCJ Number
10032
Date Published
1972
Length
116 pages
Annotation
MANPOWER POLICIES AND VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WHICH PREPARE EX-OFFENDERS TO COPE WITH THE JOB MARKET.
Abstract
PRISONERS AND EX-OFFENDERS ON PROBATION AND PAROLE ARE A LARGELY UNTAPPED MANPOWER RESOURCE. WRITTEN FROM A 'MANPOWER PERSPECTIVE', IT VIEWS OFFENDERS AS 'A HIGHLY DISADVANTAGED CLIENTELE WITH SERIOUS DEFECTS IN THE WORK WORLD...NEEDING A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES.' PRE - AND POST-RELEASE SERVICES WHICH CAN ASSIST IN THE TRANSITION FROM A CLOSED TO AN OPEN ENVIRONMENT INCLUDE PRISON INDUSTRY, WORK RELEASE, SELECTED VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING PROJECTS, AND INCOME MAINTENANCE DURING POST RELEASE ADJUSTMENT. EACH OF THESE SERVICES IS EVALUATED INDIVIDUALLY. THE AUTHOR EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR EARLY INTERVENTION STRATEGIES, ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION AND INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE. HIS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT INCLUDE GREATER MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS, IMPROVING CURRENT EXPERIMENTAL METHODS, AND TESTING FOR NEW STRATEGIES. ALSO SUGGESTED IS GREATER SELECTIVITY IN CHOOSING PARTICIPANTS FOR OFFENDER MANPOWER PROGRAMS. THIS MONOGRAPH WAS INITIALLY WRITTEN AS A BACKGROUND PAPER FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE NATIONAL MANPOWER POLICY TASK FORCE IN PREPARING A POLICY STATEMENT ON THE SAME SUBJECT.