In the mid-1990s, offender reentry gained visibility as an important public policy issue. At that time, organizations such as the U.S. Department of Education (ED), the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), and the National Institute of Justice began exploring offender workforce development strategies as an avenue for promoting the successful reintegration of offenders into communities. These strategies stem from the idea that offender employment builds communities, increases the economic self-sufficiency of families, strengthens fragile families, and provides structure and support for those seeking to remain crime free.

In 2003, ED's Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners Program awarded a 3-year, $1 million research/ demonstration grant to support Vermont's Workforce Development Program. Correctional administrators in Vermont aimed to reduce recidivism by 25 percent for offenders with poor work histories and moderate to high risk of reoffending by using a strengths-based approach to teach fundamental life skills throughout education, work, and living units.

This strengths-based program approach is built on participants' understanding and use of the "Habits of Mind," which are 16 aspects of behavioral intelligence, or life skills, that foster effective problem solving. In addition to reducing recidivism by 25 percent and reinforcing participants' acquisition of the Habits of Mind, the Workforce Development Program targeted a 90percent employment rate within 1 month of release and sought to make changes in the organizational culture at each of three program sites.

Read the rest of NIC's Transition and Offender Workforce Development Bulletin on NIC's website.