U.S. Department of Justice

Offender Employment Retention

Offender workforce development programs should target offenders at high risk for recidivism, address the dynamic influences that predict crime, and provide intervention specific to the needs of the offender. The Employment Retention Initiative supports the development of strength-based programs administered by qualified and well-trained staffs to assess offenders at high risk for job loss, identify specific job loss indicators, and provide support to break the chain of events and/or behaviors that result in termination.

A major component of this initiative is the provision of a competency-based Offender Employment Retention Specialist (OERS) training for individuals involved in offender workforce development. The training, delivered using a combination of both classroom-based and distance learning instruction, is the third course in a series specific to offender workforce development (with Offender Employment Specialist training and Offender Workforce Development Specialist training being the first two courses, respectively). This training builds on the relationship between the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI) techniques. Combining these two research-based methods helps the offender create a solid foundation for self-exploration, one that helps resolve any ambivalence to change.

In addition, this webpage provides a variety of NIC library and external resources on employment retention.

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Recommended Reading

Date Title Type
2011
Document preview
Offender Employment Retention: Worth the Work [Satellite/Internet Broadcast]
National Institute of Corrections Academy (Aurora, CO).
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 700,000 individuals are released from prisons yearly—with an additional 9 million adults cycling through local jails. Research indicates that employment is an important component of successful reentry, but most offender programs do not address the complex behavioral health issues that impact the offender’s ability to obtain and retain gainful employment while remaining crime free. Offender programming should target individuals at high r... Read More
VIDEO
2 DVDs (180 min.)
2010
Document preview
The Offender Employment Retention Forum: Meeting Summary
By Rossman, Shelli B.; Neusteter, S. Rebecca. National Institute of Corrections. Offender Workforce Development Division (Washington, DC). Urban Institute. Justice Policy Center (Washington, DC).
Individuals that work in the offender employment field will find this publication very useful. It discusses “the feasibility of applying a relapse prevention model, inclusive of case management, to workforce retention” (p. 1). Sections of the meeting summary are: introduction; the Offender Employment Retention Forum; topics covered on February 3, 2010—the vision, overview of the process, existing curricula, and the DACUM Profile for Employment Retention Specialist; and topics covered on February... Read More
PDF
150 pages
2008
Document preview
Pathways to Employment
New York State Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives (Albany, NY).
An offender employment program for probationers in New York is described. Sections of this document are: employment and crime reduction; pathways to employment training -- Employment Matters (EM), Ready, Set, Work!, and Retention Counts! (RC); Offender Workforce Development Specialists (OWDS); and training numbers as of March, 2008.... Read More
PDF
4 p.
2006
Document preview
Offender Job Retention: A Report from the Offender Workforce Development Division, National Institute of Corrections
By Houston, Melissa. National Institute of Corrections. Offender Workforce Development Division (Washington, DC).
Results from a survey of offender employment and retention issues that utilizes close-ended questions regarding topics such as assessment, case management, follow-up, and relapse are analyzed. This report is comprised of the following sections: introduction; theory; assessment; case management; job retention relapse model; relapse prevention plans; and the future of offender job retention efforts by practitioners.... Read More
PDF
15 p.

Related Resources

Date Title Type
1999
Document preview
Annotated Bibliography on Offender Job Training and Placement
By Clem, Constance, ed.. LIS, Inc. (Longmont, CO); National Institute of Corrections Information Center (Longmont, CO); National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC).
Nearly 400 items from the collection of the NIC Information Center are listed in this bibliography prepared for NIC's Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement (OCJTP). Citations have been grouped into five categories: vocational education, inmate industries, offender/ex-offender employment, multidisciplinary materials, and videotapes. If applicable, material is further sub-grouped into general, training issues and curricula, outcome studies/evaluations, management issues, program descri... Read More
PDF
65 p.
2000
Document preview
Report to the Congress of the United States on the Activities of the Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement During Fiscal Year 1999
National Institute of Corrections. Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement (Washington, DC).
Contents include: introduction; background; status of correctional job training and placement programs in the United States -- Federal Bureau of Prisons, state, and local efforts; national forum; focus groups; office coordination; interagency coordination; cooperative agreements such as job retention literature review and software development for program replication; training efforts such as the development of a curriculum for Offender Workforce Development Specialists, Offender Employment Speci... Read More
PDF
15 p.
2001
Document preview
Report to the United States Congress on the Activities of the Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement During Fiscal Year 2000 (October 1, 1999, through September 30, 2000)
By Moore, John E.. National Institute of Corrections. Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement (Washington, DC).
Highlights of this Office's accomplishments and the status of correctional job training and placement in the U.S. are provided. Contents of this report include: foreword; introduction; background; activities and accomplishments -- office coordination, interagency coordination, public presentations, national telecast, information exchange activities, cooperative agreements, technical assistance, training, clearinghouse/information services, news articles, and purchase of copyright release privil... Read More
PDF
23 p.
1997
Document preview
Annotated Bibliography on Offender Job Training and Placement
LIS, Inc. (Longmont, CO); National Institute of Corrections Information Center (Longmont, CO); National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC).
Developed for the Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement (OCJTP), this bibliography lists more than 300 documents from the collection of the NIC Information Center in Longmont, Colorado. The literature addresses offender job training and placement, including research projects, program descriptions, and curriculum packages. Citations are grouped into four major categories: vocational education, inmate industries, offender/ex-offender employment, and multi-disciplinary materials.... Read More
PDF
54 p.
1999
Document preview
Report to the Congress of the United States on the Activities of the Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement During Fiscal Year 1998
National Institute of Corrections. Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement (Washington, DC).
Referring to the activities conducted during the year, this report covers the status of job training and placement programs, federal agency coordination, training, and public information and clearinghouse activities. Training included offender employment specialist training, training through technical assistance, workshops conducted, and planning for a national forum in March 1999. Several publications are listed that feature promising programs for integrating offenders into the workforce.... Read More
PDF
7 p.
2002
Document preview
Corrections Employment Eligibility for Ex-Offenders
By Biasca, Debra H.. LIS, Inc. (Longmont, CO); National Institute of Corrections Information Center (Longmont, CO); National Institute of Corrections. Prisons Division (Washington, DC).
Practices of correctional agencies when hiring individuals with criminal histories are examined. This study contains sections about: authority to hire ex-offenders; convictions as a permanent bar to correctional employment; convictions as a temporary bar; other approaches to determining suitability for correctional employment; special issues, such as positions requiring offender contact, drug possession vs. sale convictions, juvenile criminal history, non-conviction factors, military record, mor... Read More
PDF
10 p.
2005
Document preview
Results of the Offender Workforce Development Specialist Post-Training Survey
National Institute of Corrections. Offender Workforce Development Division (Washington, DC).
Results from a "post-training survey to assess the usability of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the course [Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS)] content by the participant once they return to the job" are presented (p. 1). An executive summary is divided into four parts -- background, methods, summary of results, and next steps. Twenty-six survey questions and results are organized by the following sections: team collaboration and internal effects; building external support... Read More
PDF
10 p.
2003
Document preview
Job Descriptions
National Institute of Corrections. Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement (Washington, DC).
"[A] comprehensive list of skills, functions, and duties for use by agencies in developing job descriptions for Offender Employment Specialist (OES), Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) and Offender Workforce Development Program Manager (OWDPM)" are identified and provided (p. 1).... Read More
PDF
15 p.
2003
Document preview
Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement Glossary of Terms
National Institute of Corrections. Office of Correctional Job Training and Placement (Washington, DC).
A list of definitions for the most commonly used terms in training programs sponsored by this agency (OCJTP) are provided. ... Read More
PDF
5 p.
1998
Document preview
Chicago's Safer Foundation: A Road Back for Ex-Offenders
By Finn, Peter. National Institute of Justice (Washington, DC); National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC); U.S. Dept. of Education. Office of Correctional Ed. National Institute of Justice (Washington, DC).
The Safer Foundation helps ex-offenders find and hold jobs, and has expanded its focus to provide basic education, life skills training, support for solving social problems, and followup services after placement. Its Programmed Activities for Correctional Education (PACE) Institute provides detainees and inmates in Chicago's Cook County Jail with basic education and life skills courses and some one-on-one tutoring. Its Crossroads Community Correctional Center, Illinois' largest work rele... Read More
PDF
19 p.
1998
Document preview
Texas' Project RIO (Re-Integration of Offenders)
By Finn, Peter. National Institute of Justice (Washington, DC); National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC); U.S. Dept. of Education. Office of Correctional Ed. National Institute of Justice (Washington, DC).
Providing job preparation services to inmates while they are still incarcerated in state prisons, Project RIO also provides job placement services to parolees in every county in Texas. According to a 1992 independent evaluation, a large percentage of RIO participants found employment, and only 23 percent of high-risk participants returned to prison compared with 38 percent of non-RIO parolees. ... Read More
PDF
19 p.
1998
Document preview
Successful Job Placement for Ex-Offenders: The Center for Employment Opportunities
By Finn, Peter. National Institute of Justice (Washington, DC); National Institute of Corrections (Washington, DC); U.S. Dept. of Education. Office of Correctional Ed. National Institute of Justice (Washington, DC).
The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) in New York City provides newly released offenders, primarily boot camp releasees, with a program designed to ease their reintegration into society. This "Program Focus" describes the transition from work crew participation to job placement interview, to permanent employment, to follow-up services. Responsibilities of the CEO staff, its relationship with the community, its success rate, and testimonials from CEO participants are included. ... Read More
PDF
19 p.

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Available Training Opportunities

  • Starts Oct. 22, 2012 - Offender Employment Retention Specialist (OERS) Training
    The Offender Employment Retention Specialist Training (OERS) combines motivational interviewing techniques with cognitive behavioral principles to teach practitioners how to increase the offenders’ motivation for change while addressing the thoughts and feelings that negatively impact employment retention and successful reentry.
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