NCJ Number
19697
Date Published
1975
Length
52 pages
Annotation
REPORT DESIGNED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS EX-OFFENDER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AND TO ASSESS THE IMPACT IT HAS HAD, OR IS LIKELY TO HAVE, ON THE SYSTEM FOR EMPLOYMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS IN NEW YORK CITY.
Abstract
THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS OF THE PROGRAM ARE ANALYZED ALONG WITH THE PROCESSES BY WHICH ITS FOUR MAJOR FUNCTIONS (PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, JOB DEVELOPMENT, AND RESEARCH) ARE CARRIED OUT. THE PROGRAM'S EXTERNAL IMPACT AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ASSESSED THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH A VARIETY OF AGENCIES, BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS. IN ORDER TO MEASURE PRIVATE CONCERNS' ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN PLACING EX-OFFENDERS IN JOBS, DATA ON THIS ACTIVITY WAS ANALYZED, AND A SAMPLE OF ACTUAL CASES WAS TRACKED THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. ALSO EXAMINED IS THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM ON EMPLOYERS IN THE PRIVATE BUSINESS SECTOR AND ON OTHER AGENCIES. EVALUATORS CONCLUDED THAT DESPITE SOME INITIAL DIFFICULTIES IN ORGANIZATION, STAFFING, AND PROGRAM DEFINITION, THE FIRST YEAR OF PRIVATE CONCERNS, INC. HAD TO BE CONSIDERED A SUCCESS. EIGHTY EX-OFFENDERS HAD BEEN PLACED IN JOBS IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR AND THE PROGRAM HAD DEMONSTRATED THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING COORDINATED TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS WHICH COULD IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF POSITIONS OBTAINED BY EX-OFFENDERS, THE SALARY LEVELS, AND THE SUBSEQUENT RETENTION RATES. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROGRAM'S OVERALL CAPABILITIES BE REVIEWED ALONG WITH THE NEEDS IN THE SERVICE SYSTEM AND THAT THE PROGRAM REDEFINE ITS STRATEGIES AND OBJECTIVES, CONSIDER ELIMINATING THE JOB DEVELOPMENT UNIT, AND REVISE THE STAFF STRUCTURE IN THE LIGHT OF REDEFINED STRATEGIES. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS THE DETAILS OF THE ANALYSES OF PROGRAM CASE RECORDS, THE TRACKING OF SPECIFIC CASES, AND INTERAGENCY COMPARISONS, THE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS INTERVIEWED FOR THIS STUDY ARE ALSO LISTED.