Staffing Jail-Based American Job Centers: Early Lessons from Linking to Employment Activities Pre-Release (LEAP) Issue Brief

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Release Date: November 01, 2016

Staffing Jail-Based American Job Centers: Early Lessons from Linking to Employment Activities Pre-Release (LEAP) Issue Brief

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About the Brief

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Drawing on data from site visits to seven Linking to Employment Activities Pre-Release (LEAP) sites, the brief explores their approach to staffing jail-based American Job Centers (AJCs), including the varying staffing configurations, key staff qualifications, hiring and onboarding processes, and strategies to expedite hiring based on lessons learned.

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Key Takeaways

  • Grantees sought to hire staff with a combination of criminal justice experience, workforce development experience, group facilitation skills, and interpersonal skills, but found it difficult to find candidates who possessed all of these skills.
  • Lengthy background checks required to work in the jails, difficulty recruiting qualified candidates, and long, bureaucratic hiring processes contributed to staffing delays.
  • Engaging partners in the hiring process and being flexible with staffing plans helped mitigate hiring challenges.

Citation

Clark, M. (2016). Social Policy Research Associates. Staffing Jail-Based American Job Centers: Issue Brief—Early Lessons from LEAP. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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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 and CEO’s research development process.