5 Core Principles of a Reentry and Workforce Program
July 08, 2024 by Ashlin McMaken
Nearly 2 million individuals are incarcerated in jails and prisons across the country. Upon release, regardless of conditions, studies suggest one in four will find themselves rearrested within the first year of reentry, while two-thirds will likely be rearrested within the first three years.
It’s this cycle of recidivism that must be broken. For one, individuals’ livelihoods are at stake. And second, which is just as important, we must create safer spaces for officers and the public.
However, individuals under supervision are often confronting barriers impacting their success: housing, transportation, employment, and socioeconomics. At the core of these barriers is employment, as it represents a pathway to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Integrating reentry and workforce development programs into supervision practices can be an impactful way to equip individuals with the preparation, skills, training, and resources necessary to secure and maintain employment and position agencies to assist participants in breaking the cycle of recidivism.
To improve workforce outcomes, reduce recidivism, and provide a positive environment for agencies, here are five core principles of a reentry and workforce development program:
1. Engagement
High-impact interactions, such as mentoring relationships or cognitive-based interventions, can help agencies and individuals alter patterns of antisocial thinking or behavior, which could impact the likelihood of successful reentry.
Mentoring and peer support programs can provide guidance, role model relationships, and a support network for individuals navigating the reintegration process, while cognitive-behavioral interventions can address thought patterns and behaviors contributing to criminal activity, promoting positive decision-making.
2. Timing
Proactive involvement is critical — remember, studies suggest one in four formerly incarcerated individuals will be behind bars once again within the first year of reentry.
Providing timely services, such as risk assessments and behavioral analyses, shortly before or at release, or at the start of community supervision, helps address thinking patterns and adapt services to changing needs over time.
3. Incentives
Change isn’t going to happen overnight. Personal development can be enhanced through consistent practice and positive reinforcement. Highlighting and rewarding progress, while still holding individuals accountable, is a proven way to propel success.
Specifically, incentives encourage positive behavior without requiring perfection. They increase motivation for positive change and improve overall job performance. Consider stipends for maintaining employment, waived supervision fees, peer-supported recognition programs, or in an incarcerated setting, media time for completed work like reading assignments.
4. Coordination
In an ideal world, reentry begins at entry. Agencies should consider partnering with corrections, workforce, reentry professionals, and other service providers to ensure interventions support recidivism-reduction and employment goals. Establishing these connections can also proactively facilitate successful job matching.
Resources like job readiness training, skill development programs, and vocational certifications can enhance employability and promote the right mindset for individuals preparing to reenter society. This partnership benefits not only supervision agencies with more apt, low-risk individuals, but also empowers justice partners to make a positive impact on recidivism.
5. Structure
Creating and sticking to a schedule can provide a stabilizing force, helping individuals understand what is expected of them in specific environments and situations. Routines also help develop self-control and improve mental health and engagement.
Using Risk-Needs-Responsivity principles, staff can focus on assessing an individual's risk level and target interventions based on their specific criminogenic needs (their attitude, beliefs, thinking patterns, who they associate with, etc.). With these appropriate assessments, agencies can successfully organize an individual’s time through effective programming and positive activities. This structured, evidence-based guidance minimizes opportunities for negative behavior and time with antisocial peers.
Conclusion
Successful community transitions require a holistic approach that integrates reentry and workforce development practices together. Collaborating with corrections agencies, workforce organizations, and community partners is crucial for addressing the multifaceted needs of those under supervision. With these five basic principles in mind for a reentry and workforce development program, agencies can enhance employment success and improve supervision outcomes.