Recommendation 4: Texas Should Support the Creation of Infrastructures Spanning Probation, Incarceration, and Aftercare that Support Job-Readiness, Talent Assessment, and Placement Among Ex-Offenders.
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The Texas Department of Criminal Justice should support pre-release training programs for offenders that prepare them with soft skills. Such skills would include problem solving on the job, interviewing skills, effective communication and negotiation with supervisors and fellow employees, and anger management skills.
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Parole and probation officers should have access to a centralized job-matching system where employers who will hire the formerly incarcerated can post their openings. Based on the participation of formerly incarcerated individuals in the above-mentioned pre-release training programs, as well as in other educational and work-readiness programs, they will be better prepared to meet job readiness and retention criteria, in turn allowing the State to attract and retain the participation of quality employers.
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Probation/Parole departments should offer incentives for officers that assist offenders with finding jobs. For each supervised parolee/probationer who is found to be employed and kept employed, the State should provide additional funding to the parole or probation department to be used as a financial reward for the officers working directly with them. This will create an incentive for parole and probation officers to actively seek new employers willing to participate in the program and assist in expanding the updated list.