Home > Archived: Increase percentage of adult offenders who are employed post-release

Archived: Increase percentage of adult offenders who are employed post-release

Data Source: Department of Corrections (see Data Notes below)

Why is this a priority?

It is no secret that individuals who can sustain financial independence are less likely to re-offend. Having a job promotes pro-social behaviors and interactions and provides money for food and stable housing. We invest in their future through education, vocational training and job opportunities while in prison to better prepare them to find a job after release. This leading indicator measures how well individuals are doing in respect to jobs post-release.

How are we doing?

The latest figures show that 35.4 percent of individuals are employed post-release from prison. For individuals who earned a certificate in vocational education and/or in Correctional Industries' Offender Workforce Development Programs , their employment rate was over 50 percent greater than those who did not receive certificates in those programs. Based on the last reporting quarter, we would have achieved our 40 percent goal if roughly 90 additional individuals were employed post-release.

What are we working on?

For incarcerated individuals, looking for a job can be challenging due to their criminal history. Employers consider many factors when hiring new employees; education, vocational training, and work experience continue to influence whether or not an applicant is hired. We provide opportunities based on their needs in the following ways:

  • Adult basic education leading to a GED;
  • Vocational training;
  • Employment with Correctional Industries, which provides real work experience that is transferable to the current job market;
  • Ensuring that all individuals releasing have a valid Washington State identification card; and,
  • Offering Work Release, a partial confinement option for eligible individuals who want to work in the community three to six months prior to their release.
For More Information

To learn more about the Department of Corrections, please visit our website at www.doc.wa.gov.

Reported by: Department of Corrections

 

Data Notes

  • Data reflects all regular (non-violator) releases from confinement. Releases due to Death are excluded.
  • Employment post release reflects whether any employment was reported to Department of Employment Security (ESD) for the 1st full quarter after the release from prison.
  • Due to a six month lag in employment data, the last quarter of releases reported is based on the first full quarter of employment data available from ESD.
  • Employment data includes legal, nonfarm employment where unemployment insurance is reported to ESD.
  • Certain offenders were excluded from this calculation, due to severe mental or physical disability, a release age beyond 65 years, and a release out of state.