NCJ Number
161096
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1996 Pages: 25-28
Date Published
January 1996
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Recent research has prompted the Correctional Service of Canada to shift the focus of its offender employment programs from simple shop participation to encouraging offenders to acquire employability skills.
Abstract
Several initiatives in Canada have attempted to define employability skills required by real world employers, with employability meaning generic skills, attitudes, and abilities considered by employers when looking for potential employees. The increased use of employability concepts by both the academic community and private industry has prompted a careful examination of the effects of Canada's Prison Industries Program (CORCAN) on offenders. Several studies were initiated in 1993 to develop a better understanding of offender work attitudes and behaviors in the CORCAN work environment. Goals were to link these attitudes and behaviors to competency skills, to measure offender work performance more meaningfully, and to determine how supervisors could positively affect offender attitudes and behaviors. Studies focused on work attitudes of offenders employed by CORCAN, general work skills that contributed to offender work performance, and supervisor leadership characteristics. Supervisors had important personal relationships with offenders and were thus in a position to have a significant positive impact on offenders. In addition, it was found that positive offender attitudes and behaviors can only be developed in an environment where offenders can practice living skills and where training designed to reduce recidivism is given in positive and credible ways. CORCAN's shift to a focus on employability skills should help create this environment. 9 footnotes and 1 figure