Examining Offender Motivation and Employment Outcomes

• In Event: Motivation for Change in Correctional Populations

Abstract

It is well established that offenders’ motivation for treatment significantly predicts treatment participation and completion, which in turn, can lead to reductions in criminal behavior. However, less is known about how offenders’ attitudes and motivation toward work affect their involvement in employment-oriented services and employment outcomes. Using a sample of 111 drug court offenders, we examine whether and how intrinsic and extrinsic attitudes about work predict involvement in employment services and employment outcomes. To assess drug offenders’ motivations about employment, we administer the Work Preference Inventory (Amabile, 1993) to all drug offenders at a baseline interview. At six months post baseline, we code agency treatment records for indices of engagement and progress in employment services and use records and self-report to index drug offenders’ employment outcomes (e.g., securing a job and quality of job obtained). Because employment is one of eight major criminogenic needs that must be targeted to significantly reduce recidivism rates among offenders, it is important to determine what programmatic (e.g., employment services) and individual-level (e.g., attitudes about employment) factors can facilitate positive employment outcomes.

Authors

• Lydie R. Loth, University of Cincinnati

• Sarah M. Manchak, University of Cincinnati

• Michelle Kay, University of Cincinnati