NCJ Number
52205
Journal
WORKLIFE Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 29-31
Date Published
1978
Length
3 pages
Annotation
A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP EX-OFFENDERS FIND EMPLOYMENT IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL SERVICES (CCS) PROGRAM SERVING KANE AND DEKALB COUNTIES, ILL. WHICH BECAME OPERATIONAL IN 1975, WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ACT TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO RECENTLY RELEASED EX-OFFENDERS AND INMATES ABOUT TO BE RELEASED. PARTICIPANTS ARE RECRUITED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS AND REFERRED FROM MANY SOURCES. CLIENT INTERVIEWS USUALLY INCLUDE ORIENTATION TO THE PROGRAM, A DETERMINATION OF IMMEDIATE NEEDS, AND A DISCUSSION OF WORK RECORD, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, AND CRIMINAL HISTORY. ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION GATHERED IN THE INTERVIEW, A COURSE OF ACTION TO HELP EACH CLIENT IS DECIDED BY A SCREENING COMMITTEE. IN MOST CASES, THIS WOULD MEAN ASSIGNMENT TO A CAREER DEVELOPER WHO WILL PROVIDE OR GUIDE THE CLIENT TO CAREER ASSESSMENT, COUNSELING, CLASSROOM TRAINING, TRAINING IN JOBSEEKING SKILLS, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS COORDINATING REFERRALS TO OTHER AGENCIES. THE CAREER DEVELOPER MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO RESPECT THE CLIENT'S EMPLOYMENT DESIRES WHILE HELPING HIM TO ASSESS REALISTICALLY HIS SKILLS AND BACKGROUND. WHERE A CLIENT NEEDS ADDITIONAL EDUCATION OR TRAINING TO PREPARE FOR THE CAREER OF HIS CHOICE, THE MEANS FOR ATTAINING IT ARE USUALLY CONSIDERED. IN MOST INSTANCES THE CLIENT ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINDING EMPLOYMENT, AFTER RECEIVING TRAINING IN JOBSEEKING SKILLS. SOMETIMES THE CCS STAFF MAY INTERVENE TO INTERPRET TO A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER THE BACKGROUND OF A CLIENT. THUS FAR, 360 OF THE 513 CLIENTS PROCESSED HAVE BEEN PLACED IN UNSUBSIDIZED JOBS. THE RECIDIVISM RATE AMONG ALL PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS IS ABOUT 8 PERCENT, COMPARED WITH A RECIDIVISM RATE FOR ALL OFFENDERS ESTIMATED TO VARY FROM 25 TO 75 PERCENT.