Employment
Strategies for
Ex-Offenders
Presented at the Oklahoma CareerTech
2014 Summer Conference
By Steve Gordon
Strategic Reentry Group
HOW I GOT HERE
• Former State Director of the Oklahoma
Partnership for Successful Reentry
• Taught a weekly class called “Prisoner
Reentry Orientation for Oklahoma City” at
my church for 2.5 years
• Served over 400 ex-offenders
• Half the class was how to access resources
in OKC, the other half was an “employment
for ex-offenders” training session
2
Strategic Reentry Group
ASSUMPTIONS FOR THIS WORKSHOP
• You have general knowledge of prisoner
reentry
• You have general knowledge of the
operation of the Oklahoma prison system
• You work with clients or students who are
currently incarcerated or who have a
felony-conviction(s) in their past
3
Strategic Reentry Group
FUNDAMENTALS
• There are many barriers to reentry
• E.g., financial obligations, mandatory
appointments, transportation, childcare…
• Most offenders are employable
• Some are disabled and unable to work (may
apply to DRS)
• They must BELIEVE they are employable
before they can find a job!
4
Strategic Reentry Group
POWER TOOLS IN YOUR TOOLKIT
• The Roadmap to Employment *
• Workforce Offices
• Urban League
• Goodwill Job Connection Centers
• State Government Jobs
• Dept. of Rehab. Services
• “Careers For Ex-Felons” *
* www.StrategicReentryGroup.com/pro-class
5
Strategic Reentry Group
OTHER FREE RESOURCES
• Job Search Tracking Form *
• Online Job Search Websites *
• Job Search Preparation Checklist *
• "Give Me A Chance: Wise Words to Job
Seekers in Tough Times" *
• Best Job Search Tips & Resumes:
http://bit.ly/1s1BtYH
* www.StrategicReentryGroup.com/pro-class
6
Strategic Reentry Group
The Essential
Reentry Model
7
Strategic Reentry Group
The Generic Process for Everyone
Key Concept: ‘Low Need’ vs. ‘High Need’
Phase 1
Pre-Release
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
PLAN
PREPARE
IDENTIFY
RELATE
Phase 2
Transition
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
CONNECT
SETTLE
WORK
ENGAGE
STABILIZE
RESIST
Phase 3
Reintegration
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
MAINTAIN
FULFILL
RE-UNITE
INCREASE
UPGRADE
GIVE BACK
Main Outcome: A Basic Personal Reentry Plan
8
Strategic Reentry Group
Phase 1
Pre-Release
1.1 PLAN
1 - Goals
2 - Traps, Red Flags
3 - Criminogenic Needs Assessment
1.2 PREPARE
1 - Release Papers
2 - ID’s, Benefits
3 - Legal Matters
4 - Job Skills or Disability Status
1.3 IDENTIFY
1 - Resources in the Community
2 - Financial Obligations
3 - Career Options or Disability Supports
1.4 RELATE
1 - Identify Positive Relationships (family, friends,
mentor, church) who will actively support
2 - Engage Mentor
9
Strategic Reentry Group
Phase 2
Transition
2.1 CONNECT
1 - Connect with Mentor
2 - Picked up at Gate
2.2 SETTLE
1 - Obtain Stable Living Conditions
2 - Acquire Basic Needs
2.3 WORK
1 - Find Employment
2.4 ENGAGE
1 - Engage Support Group (Church, etc.)
2 - Engage Case Management (as needed)
2.5 STABILIZE
1 - Establish Consistent Positive Habits
2.6 RESIST
1 - Resist Temptation
10
Strategic Reentry Group
Phase 3
Reintegration
3.1 MAINTAIN
1 - Remain Drug & Alcohol Free
2 - Maintain Employment
3 - Engage Health Services
3.2 FULFILL
1 - Legal Obligations
2 - Financial Obligations
3.3 RE-UNITE
1 - Engage Family Reunification
3.4 INCREASE
1 - Improve Job Skills
2 - Save Some Money
3 - Develop New (Non-Ex-Offender) Friends
3.5 UPGRADE
1 - Upgrade Transportation
2 - Seek Career Education
3 - Seek Academic Education
3.6 GIVE BACK
1 - Volunteer for Local Service Projects, Organizations
11
Strategic Reentry Group
Complex Reentry
Factors
Worksheet
12
Strategic Reentry Group
13
Strategic Reentry Group
In addition to the basic plan, there are a number of factors
that make reentry planning complicated.
FIELD
KEY
Gender
-
Ethnic Identity
-
Assessed Risk
LSI-R Score
Low (1-18)
Moderate
(19-28)
High (29-54)
FACTORS
 Male








 Female
Non-Hispanic White or Euro-American
Black, Afro-Caribbean, or African American
Latino or Hispanic American
East Asian or Asian American
South Asian or Indian American
Middle Eastern or Arab American
Native American or Alaskan Native
Other
 Low
 Moderate
 High
14
Strategic Reentry Group
Facility Security
Level at Release
 CCC =
Community
Corrections
Center
 HWH =
Halfway House
No. of Offender
Incarcerations
0 = Probation
Only
Gang Affiliation
-

Max

Med
0
 Yes

Min
1



CCC HWH GPS
2
 3+
 No
15
Strategic Reentry Group
Supervision Status
at Release
Unsupervised =
“Flat Time” only
 Supervised
Disability Status
0 = Not Disabled
1 = Disabled, Can Work
2 = Disabled, Can Not
Work
Trauma Victim
Use “Trauma History
Screen” tool
 Yes
Special Status
RSO = Registered Sex
Offender
 Geriatric
0
 Un-Supervised
1
2
 No
 RSO
 Veteran
16
Strategic Reentry Group
Release Status
For “other” use
back of form






AODA
Treatment
Status
1 = Needed It & Got
It (graduated)
2 = Needed It & Did
Not Get It
3 = Did Not Need It
1
2
3
Health Needs
MD = Medically
Dependent
MMI = Mildly
Mentally Ill
SMI = Severely
Mentally Ill
 MD
 MMI
 SMI
Flat Time (Discharge)
Probation
Parole
Hold For Warrants
Hold For Other State
Other
Main Outcome: A Highly-Customized Personal
Reentry Plan
17
Strategic Reentry Group
PRIME Program
Phases/Tasks/Roles
“Prisoner Reentry Initiative
Mentoring & Employment”
18
Strategic Reentry Group
RECRUIT
PREPARE
1. Announce
Program at
Targeted
Institutions (with
Eligibility
Criteria)
1. Teach Prisoner
Reentry
Orientation Class
1. Conduct “Work
Readiness”
Assessment
2. Develop Personal
Transition Plan
(housing, identification, other needs)
2. Conduct IndustrySpecific Training
Leading to
Recognized
Certification Status
2. Receive
Applications
3. Screen Applicants
4. Build Waiting
List of
Applicants
5. Prioritize
Applicants Using
Risk Analysis
Tool
TRAIN
3. Conduct PRIME
Program Orientation to Prepare
for Training
3. Obtain Two Forms
of ID for Each
Student
4. Certify Candidate
with CReW
Program
4. Collect Student
Feedback Data (to
Document Training
Effectiveness)
5. Implement
Program
“Contract”
* Conduct Baseline
“Readiness Survey”
5. Ensure Adequate
Transportation for
Work Assignments
EMPLOY
EVALUATE
1. Assign Job Coach
1. Track Each Client
for Length of
Program, up to
One Year
2. Develop IEP
(“Individual
Employment
Plan”)
* Conduct Mid-Program
“Readiness Survey”
3. Get Participant’s
First Assignment
4. Support
Participant
Intensely For 30
Days, Then
Periodic Checks
5. Provide Social
Services as
Needed to Keep
Participant
Employed
Case Mgr.
Case Mgr.
Job Dev.
Job Dev.
Recruit Mentors
Train Mentors
Assign Mentors
Support Mentors
* After 6 months,
conduct “Program
Satisfaction” Survey
2. Accumulate
Specific
Performance Data
3. Measure
Employment
Retention Results
4. Measure
Employment
Earnings Results
5. Compute SocioEconomic Impact
& Publish Results
Admin.
Evaluate Mentors
19
Strategic Reentry Group
CReW Program
Certified Rehabilitated Worker
Program Overview
20
Strategic Reentry Group
PROGRAM WAITING TO BE DEVELOPED
• Fee-based certification program
• Targets rehabilitated individuals who have a
strong portfolio of achievements
• G.E.D., college transcript, training programs,
Vo-Tech programs, prison rehabilitation
classes, anger management, diplomas,
letters of recommendation, etc.
• Work with employers to accept CReW as a
risk-reduction strategy in hiring
21
Strategic Reentry Group
Job and Business
‘Engine’ Model
22
Strategic Reentry Group
Released
from
Prison
P.E.P.
Prison
Entrepreneurs
Program
Reentry
One-Stop
Center
“For
Entrepreneurs,
Business
Start-Ups”
“White-Collar Jobs”
SelfEmployment for
Ex-Offenders
Seminar
“Quick-Cash Jobs”
Felon-Friendly
Day Labor
Felon-Friendly
Staffing
Companies
CReW
“Temp Jobs”
Certified Rehabilitated
Workers Program
“Blue-Collar Jobs”
The Free CoFFE!
Database:
Coalition of
Felon-Friendly
Employers
Entrepreneur’s
Club
Bi-Monthly Mentoring of
6-12 New or Younger
Business Owners
Royal
Roundtable
Metro-Area
Job Club
Peer-Supported Job
Search Club for
Ex-offenders
To Corporate America
Bi-Monthly Business
Referral Club for FelonFriendly Businesses Only
Employers
Reentry
Council
Community-Leader Business Owners
and HR Directors Who Advise SRG
on Employment Strategies for Reentry
The Strategic Reentry Group
www.StrategicReentryGroup.com
Consulting Services & Products to Facilitate
Local, Regional & National
Reentry Efforts for Ex-Offenders
BLOG: www.AllThingsReentry.com
24