Career Development For Ex-Offenders - Essay Example

Career Development for Ex-offenders s Each social group has its peculiar needs that are to be met by career resource centers. The groups of former prisoners constitutes a considerable part of the population having special need, as the issue of employment becomes enclosed in the framework of general reintegration into the society after time in prison and transition from the image of prisoner to the role of the worker. Moreover, ex-offenders are a vulnerable group in the labor market, for they face mass bias and thus worse employment prospects. The current paper describes basic obstacles and needs of the former prisoners and provides an overview of the possible career development assistance programs and counseling aid that can be provided in career resource centers and help the chosen group become qualified and successful workers. Part 1: The Population The population under consideration is a rather large social group consisting of former prisoners varying in age and gender. It has been a common tendency that he experience of incarceration produces negative impact on the individual’s competitiveness in labour market, with most studies confirming that “time in prison is associated with poorer employment prospects” (Lalonde & Cho, 2008, p.244). Broadly speaking, employment is among the crucial needs of the former prisons, as it is an integral part of their re-entry into the society after time in prison along with strong will and willingness to learn, because having a job is a commonly accepted sign of being a useful and full-fledged member of the society. Moreover, employment is important for ex-prisoners to “maintain probation requirements” and to stay with children – for mothers who were incarcerated (Laux et al., 2011, p.161). Thus, this means that former prisoners need assistance in employment and destigmatization in order to return to normal life. However, ex-prisoners are likely to have certain difficulties entering the labor market and complying with the contemporary trends of employment and demand. Naturally, it is stigmatization former prisoners experience, being perceived as marginal, unreliable or prone to criminal activity. On the other hand, the changing trends in the labor market might influence their competitiveness. For instance, the combined effect of a poor work history, low education, and lack of training opportunities while incarcerated does not portend a positive outlook for […] postincarceration employment (Laux et al., 2011, p.160). As serving time in prison isolates an individual from the outer world, it is impossible for them to catch up with current employment demands and acquire necessary skills: e.g. a person who has served 20 years in prison will have a great gap in necessary skills between themselves and labor market demands, particularly, good PC user skills. Thus, along with the need for destimatization, former prisoners are in need of up-to-date training courses and education to be competitive in labour market. It is also important to mention that ex-prisoners may possess certain strengths in employment. Lalonde & Cho (2008, p.244) provide the assumption of Western et al. (2001): “Prison, at least for some inmates, could lead to improved employment prospects if the experience improves life functioning”. At the same time, if a former inmate possesses strong will and decisiveness about reentering the community, their strong point will be desire to cooperate with the counselors and learn the skills necessary for finding a job (especially is such person has a family that has to be financially supported). Part 2: Services and Career Development Programs It is clear that the primary task of the career resource center is to provide sufficient support in employment to the discussed population, launching specific programs adjusted to their needs. Career development programs intended for ex-offenders are to be designed not as a primary assistance for improvement of their financial conditions, but as a program that will have a secondary effect. In other words, these programs must help increase ex-offenders’ competitiveness and “establish or expand evidenced-based practices to developing employment opportunities for ex-offenders that can lead to family-sustaining employment” (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2005, p.9). Training courses in different areas and majors should be launched to update or improve the skills and knowledge ex-offenders possess or to help them learn a new major. At the same time, some of the former prisoners might be in need of counselling and rehabilitation programs. Possessing adequate work skills is generally believed to result in better job performance, greater work satisfaction, stronger commitment to the employing organization and greater rewards (Brown & Lent, 2013, p.547). These programs are likely to satisfy ex-offenders’ needs in advice, training and aid. Of course, training programs are of primary importance to meet the need of an ex-offender in necessary skills and knowledge, so that he/she is competitive in the labour market. At the same time, such programs can help former prisoners to change their qualification and shift to a profession that is currently more popular in the labour market. Thereby, they will be able to earn enough money to sustain themselves and their families financially. Furthermore, counselling programs are necessary to prevent returning to criminal activity, overcome bias related to their criminal record (and if the government stands bond for them within the federal bond program, it is likely to produce a good impact). Part 3: Career Counselors The role of counseling in the process of reintegration into the community is extremely important, for the counsellor is a person holding immediate contact with the ex-offender and helping him/her overcome the difficulties connected with transition from “from prisoner to employee” (Johnson, 2013, p.84). Brown & Lent (2013, p.574) state: “the client-counselor working alliance is an essential process component within career counselling”. The counselor’s tasks are creating career awareness, assisting in choice of the job, creating awareness of how the modern labour market works, helping to overcome biased attitudes and stigmas imposed on ex-offenders because of their past incarceration. At the same time, the counselor is to be able to create the positive and compliant attitude in the client in order to prevent them from turning to criminal activity again in case of rejection on the side of the potential employer. The counsellors might be required to follow a set of ethical guidelines including demonstrating respect by holding conversations with clients privately, looking at clients directly and asking, "How are you?" before launching into "business” (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment 2000), keeping themselves from judgments and condemnation as well as the mentioned bias and being helpful in the client’s strivings. Working as a career counselor at the career resource center requires discretion in treatment of the ex-convicts, respectful attitude towards all people, ability to maintain privacy of the client, helpfulness in creating career awareness and choosing an area of training and employment, and being able to evoke trust in the client. Reference list Brown, S.D. & Lent, R.W. (2013). Career Development and Counseling: Putting theory and research to work (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons Inc. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (2000). Integrating Substance Abuse Treatment and Vocational Services. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US). Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 38. Retrieved July 3, 2015 from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64295/ Johnson, K. F. (2013). Preparing ex-offenders for work: applying the self-determination theory to social cognitive career counseling. Journal Of Employment Counseling, 50(2), 83-93. doi:10.1002/j.2161-1920.2013.00027.x Lalonde, R., & Cho, R. (2008). The Impact of Incarceration in State Prison on the Employment Prospects of Women. Journal Of Quantitative Criminology, 24(3), 243-265. doi:10.1007/s10940-008-9050-x Laux, J. M., Calmes, S., Moe, J. L., Dupuy, P. J., Cox, J. A., Ventura, L. A., & ... Lambert, E. (2011). The Career Counseling Needs of Mothers in the Criminal Justice System. Journal Of Offender Rehabilitation, 50(3), 159-173. doi:10.1080/10509674.2011.560551 The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2005). Reentry: helping former prisoners return to communities. Baltimore, MD: Gaynes, E. Retrieved July 3, 2015 from http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-ReentryHelpingFormerPrisoners-2005.pdf Western, B., Kling, J., Weiman, D. (2001). The labor market consequences of incarceration, industrial relation section. Working Paper No. 405, Princeton University. Read More