The efficacy of outsourced employment services for adults exiting Australian prisons

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology

Volume

68

Issue

8

First Page

806

Last Page

824

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

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.

DOI

10.1177/0306624X221102840

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