0 - National Criminal Justice Reference Service

Employment may help prevent drug relapse in several ways. First of all, to maintain fulltime
employment, the ex-offender’s daily routine activities must be structured around work to a
considerable degree rather than drug use or a criminal lifestyle. Second of all, fUll-time
employment changes the nature and structure of one’s peers. One might find positive role models
to emulate at work, rather than (or in addition to) some of the negative ones that might be present
in hisher neighborhood. Third, full-time employment can be rewarding to an ex-offender, in that
,
I
it offers highly desired fieedom and independence. Finally, full-time employment is heavily
emphasized as part of an offender’s release plan and recovery fi-om substance abuse. It may be
that some ex-offenders see employment as a tool to help them achieve meaninghl goals (e.g.,
food and shelter; the potential for rebuilding meaningful relationships with fiends and family).
while studies of the reciprocal relationship between employment and incarceration have been
0
inconclusive to date, there is evidence that employment may help an ex-offender to rebuild human
and social capital following incarceration, resources that may play a considerable role in reducing
the risk of reoffending (Western, Kling and Weiman, 2001).
Toward this end, DOC recently began pilot testing of a new Community Orientation and
Reintegration Program (COR) in December of 2001. This program provides structured reentry
preparation to inmates through two weeks of prison-based programming immediately prior to
release from a state correctional institution, followed by four to six weeks of similar programming
in a Community Corrections Facility after release. Programming includes job readiness training
and placement, community and family reintegration, and decision-making skills. Beginning in fall
of 2002, DOC plans to implement COR on a system wide basis, with a majority of inmates
released fiom DOC being required to participate in the program.
132
This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not
been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.