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Abstract: 

This article outlines the role of the Safer Foundation in the provision of services to pre-release as well as post-release offenders. The authors assess the poor life chances of most released offenders and offer programs that have increased the likelihood that offenders completing the programs will have a lower recidivism rate than offenders released from prison without any assistance. This is a very practical article that is full of good ideas and directions for those working with pre-release or post-release offender populations. From the extensive experience of the Safer Foundation are distilled principles of effectiveness in preparing offenders for employment, improving employment opportunities, and increasing the likelihood that offenders will sustain employment upon completion of the programs. The Safer Foundation has developed a core set of principles that it uses to guide and direct its program efforts. As Williams and Hicks note, structured assistance is a key ingredient of work with offenders seeking employment. By securing and retaining employment, offenders gain a stake in conformity and are less prone to become repeat offenders. The author’s outline the program details and augment their discussion with case studies of specific offenders, thus giving the reader a feel for the work that is being done. In an effort that will assist in countering the punitive turn, the Safer Foundation has developed programs to meet the employment needs of released offenders that are efficient and effective and have become best practices in their own right.

Keywords: 

Affiliations:  1: Safer Foundation; 2: Safer Foundation.