The efficacy of outsourced employment services for adults exiting Australian prisons

Abstract

Crime rates in Australia have declined or been steady over the past decade yet prison populations are at all-time highs. Similarly, unemployment rates have been low but unemployment for those ex-prisoners seeking work is very high. In this paper, we draw on the findings of an Australia-wide survey of government-funded employment service providers who support working-aged Australians including ex-prisoners in their search for work. We find that the heterogeneity of the needs of ex-prisoners coupled with the frugality and inflexibility of government policies and practices frustrates the abilities of these agencies to provide services to this target group.

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

1-1-2022

Volume

68

Issue

8

Publication Title

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology

Publisher

Sage

School

School of Arts and Humanities

RAS ID

52281

Funders

Australian Research Council Linkage grant (ID: LP 140100329)

Grant Number

ARC Number : LP140100329

Comments

Ollerton, J., Giles, M. J., Baldry, E., & Cale, J. (2022). The Efficacy of Outsourced Employment Services for Adults Exiting Australian Prisons. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 68(8), 735-866. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X221102840

Copyright

subscription content

First Page

806

Last Page

824

Link to Full Text

Share

 
COinS
 

Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1177/0306624X221102840