ABSTRACT
The chapter reviews the evidence base about how employment can reduce offending, consistent with the criminological literature on prevention and work involving individuals with a history of criminal involvement. We highlight prior efforts and offer recommendations for future employment-based programing. Specifically, we recommend that efforts should aim to: (1) be reach-in and wrap-around; (2) be holistic, addressing a wide variety of participant risks and needs; (3) focus on improving job satisfaction by pairing individuals with jobs that fit them personally; (4) target identity change toward a prosocial identity; and (5) not be evaluated solely on causality, as program completion can be a beneficial labor market signal as long as the program is voluntary and rigorous. Finally, we emphasize the role of research in developing and evaluating the impact of these recommendations.
