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date: 18 February 2019

Abstract and Keywords

Historically, work has played an important role in managing correctional populations and providing a means to reduce prisoner idleness. As correctional ideologies have shifted over time, the concept of working while incarcerated has taken on more of a rehabilitative approach. Several policies and correctional initiatives have been developed to integrate prison industry and employment services into correctional systems in an effort to address the poor employment histories and low job-related skills of offenders. Evaluations of these programs demonstrate that participation in prison industry and employment services can increase job prospects and lower the chances of recidivism. The effectiveness of prison-based employment programs vary, however, and is dependent upon the key components incorporated into their design. Despite the differences between programs, employment services offered in prison seem to be an effective approach to addressing employment deficits among offenders.

Keywords: prison, prison industry, prison-based employment programs, prison employment services, employment deficits among offenders

Paula Smith

Paula Smith PhD, is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati. Her research interests include offender classification and assessment, correctional rehabilitation, the psychological effects of incarceration, program implementation and evaluation, the transfer of knowledge to practitioners and policy-makers, and meta-analysis. She is co-author of Corrections in the Community, and has also authored more than thirty journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Smith has directed numerous federal and state funded research projects, including studies of prisons, community-based correctional programs, juvenile drug courts, probation and parole departments, and mental health services. Furthermore, she has been involved in evaluations of more than 280 correctional programs throughout the United States.

Lindsey M. Mueller

Lindsey M. Mueller is a doctoral student in the School of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati. Her research interests include correctional rehabilitation, institutional corrections (inmate deviance), and program fidelity.

Ryan M. Labrecque

Ryan M. Labrecque PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Portland State University. His research focuses on the evaluation of correctional interventions, the effects of prison life, the development of risk and needs assessments for community and institutional corrections settings, and the transfer of knowledge to practitioners and policy makers. His work has appeared in Criminal Justice Policy Review; Journal of Crime and Justice; Psychology, Public Policy, and Law; Victims and Offenders; Violence and Victims; and most recently in Corrections: Policy, Practice and Research.

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