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Effect of Prison Industry and Vocational Training on Postrelease Outcome: Does Race Matter? (From Crime & Employment: Critical Issues in Crime Reduction for Corrections, P 75-83, 2004, Jessie L. Krienert and Mark S. Fleisher, eds. -- See NCJ-209355)

NCJ Number
209358
Author(s)
William G. Saylor; Gerald G. Gaes
Date Published
2004
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study analyzed data from the Post-Release Employment Project (PREP) to determine the effect of prison industry and vocational training on postrelease outcome for various racial and ethnic groups.
Abstract
PREP data derived from approximately 7,000 short-term and long-term observations of both employment and recidivism for 12 years. Short-term recidivism (up to 1 year) was based on either rearrest or violation of a term of supervision, resulting in revocation. Long-term recidivism (up to 12 years) was defined as a revocation or reincarceration following a conviction for a new offense. To examine the likelihood of offender success, the current study used survival analysis, a procedure that allows the depiction of the probability of survival in the community each day following an inmate's release from custody. The released offenders selected for analysis were generally believed to be a difficult group to manage in prison and to have limited employment opportunities as well as a high probability of being reincarcerated after their release. The group was composed of 18- to 25-year-old males with an educational level between 9th and 11th grades. On average, they had served a 25-month sentence and had an average likelihood of committing future offenses. Observations for this sample were divided into four groups composed of different racial and ethnic combinations. Survival rates were determined separately for inmates who participated in industrial training (UNICOR), vocational or apprenticeship training (VT), or no training (comparison/control group). The study found that regardless of whether a minority was defined by race or ethnicity and despite their being at higher risk of recidivism, minority groups benefited more from vocational training/apprenticeships and industries participation than their lower risk nonminority counterparts. 5 figures, 1 table, and 4 references