Purpose:

The goal of the Reentry Employment Opportunities grant program (REO) evaluation is to identify and evaluate promising practices used in reentry employment programs which are comprehensive strategies to address the range of challenges formerly incarcerated adults and young adults who have been involved in the juvenile or adult justice system face in making a successful transitions back to the community. This evaluation will include an implementation and an impact study among select REO grantees to understand their effectiveness in achieving the goals of improving participant outcomes such as employment, earning, and recidivism.

Research Questions:

  • How were programs implemented? What are the types and combinations of services and approaches provided? What employment focused services were offered?
  • What impact does the REO program, or strategies implemented under this program, have on the outcomes of participants?
  • To what extent do outcomes and impacts vary across selected subpopulations, including type of offense (felony, misdemeanor, violent, etc.), age, and veteran status?
  • Are there key program elements that are common to successful models of comprehensive reentry programs (e.g., structure, organization, service delivery, partnerships, etc.)?

Project Duration: 60 Months

Contract End Date: September 2022

Contractor: Mathematica Policy Research, with Social Policy Research Associates

For More Information: ChiefEvaluationOffice@dol.gov

 

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy. CEO’s research development process includes extensive technical review at the design, data collection and analysis stage, including: external contractor review and OMB review and approval of data collection methods and instruments per the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), Institutional Review Board (IRB) review to ensure studies adhere to the highest ethical standards, review by academic peers (e.g., Technical Working Groups), and inputs from relevant DOL agency and program officials and CEO technical staff. Final reports undergo an additional independent expert technical review and a review for Section 508 compliance prior to publication. The resulting reports represent findings from this independent research and do not represent DOL positions or policies.