EMPLOYER ATTITUDES TOWARD WORK-RELEASE PROGRAMS AND THE HIRING OF EX-OFFENDERS

• NCJ Number: 38882
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 335-344
• Author(s): D ATKINSON; A C FENSTER; A S BLUMBERG
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: American Assoc of Correctional Psychologists
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS SURVEY ASSESSED THE ATTITUDES OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS TOWARD VARIOUS ASPECTS OF WORK RELEASE PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THE MOST LIKELY PARTICIPANTS AND THE VIABILITY OF EXPANDING SUCH PROGRAMS.

Abstract

SINCE THE ATTITUDES OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS ARE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL CONTINUATION AND EXPANSION OF THESE PROGRAMS, THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE ATTITUDES OF A CROSS SECTION OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS TOWARD THE HIRING OF OFFENDERS IN WORK RELEASE PROGRAMS. IT WAS FELT THAT PAST EXPERIENCE AS CRIME VICTIMS AND WITH THE EMPLOYMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS WOULD BE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS AFFECTING ATTITUDES. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF A GROUP ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRE - GIVEN TO A GROUP OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS WHO WERE MEMBERS OF SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, THE LIONS CLUB AND THE ROTARY CLUB - REVEALED THAT A CLEAR MAJORITY OF THIS GROUP OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS WERE SYMPATHETIC, THOUGH THERE WERE SOME RESERVATIONS NOTED. WHILE EMPLOYERS OF EX-OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS OF CRIME EXPRESSED FEWER POSITIVE RESPONSES, ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THESE GROUPS WERE ALSO WILLING TO HIRE WORK RELEASEES.