NCJ Number
132816
Date Published
1991
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A vocational training/job guarantee project was initiated for prisoners in the Netherlands to help them secure employment after release.
Abstract
The project began by examining the concept of punishment and its results in theory and practice. A model project was then devised that added the element of job guarantee to the traditional vocational training initiative. The project was initiated in view of certain factors that limit the ability of inmates to find work after detention, including the stigma of the prison record, low education and training level, and little or no work experience. Project staff determined that work toward the realization of positive job prospects after release from prison should begin when the prisoner is first brought in for detention. Several industrial sectors and business enterprises were surveyed to assess labor demand and the level of technical schooling required for specific jobs, and inmate preferences were determined. Twelve inmate candidates started in the project, but three dropped out. The nine candidates received job-related technical training as well as social skills, English, individual fitness, team sports, and homework and study training. All nine candidates obtained jobs at the end of the project. Continuous communication among project administrators, candidates, and employers was necessary during the first month of employment. 6 references