Presentation Title
Barriers to the Success of Ex-Offenders with Histories of Drug Abuse and Mental Illness
Panel Name
Inequality in the U.S. Today: Seeking Justice, Equality, Treatment, and Redemption
Location
Lecture Center 5
Start Date
3-5-2019 3:15 PM
End Date
3-5-2019 4:45 PM
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Academic Major
Sociology
Abstract
April Sickler
Barriers to the Success of Ex-Offenders with Histories of Drug Abuse and Mental Illness
Abstract:
The purpose of my research is to review the scholarly literature on the difficulties that offenders who are released from prison confront when trying to find employment. This is a particularly important topic in the contemporary U. S. given the recent history of mass incarceration and mistreatment of ex-offenders with histories of drug use/abuse and mental illness. A combination of these attributes can serve as a particularly large barrier to success in finding post-release employment. My analysis of the literature focuses on the following questions. What are the major obstacles that make it difficult for released offenders to secure employment? Are the obstacles to gaining employment particularly severe for released offenders with drug use/abuse or mental illness? What services are currently in place to assist released offenders in seeking employment, and how well are these services realizing their objectives? I conclude by considering the implications of the research literature for the most promising strategies for alleviating the problems of post-release employment.
Select Where This Work Originated From
Honors College Thesis
First Faculty Advisor
Steven Messner
First Advisor Email
smessner@albany.edu
First Advisor Department
Sociology
Second Faculty Advisor
Angie Chung
Second Faculty Advisor Email
aychung@albany.edu
Second Advisor Department
Sociology
The work you will be presenting can best be described as
Finished or mostly finished by conference date
Barriers to the Success of Ex-Offenders with Histories of Drug Abuse and Mental Illness
Lecture Center 5
April Sickler
Barriers to the Success of Ex-Offenders with Histories of Drug Abuse and Mental Illness
Abstract:
The purpose of my research is to review the scholarly literature on the difficulties that offenders who are released from prison confront when trying to find employment. This is a particularly important topic in the contemporary U. S. given the recent history of mass incarceration and mistreatment of ex-offenders with histories of drug use/abuse and mental illness. A combination of these attributes can serve as a particularly large barrier to success in finding post-release employment. My analysis of the literature focuses on the following questions. What are the major obstacles that make it difficult for released offenders to secure employment? Are the obstacles to gaining employment particularly severe for released offenders with drug use/abuse or mental illness? What services are currently in place to assist released offenders in seeking employment, and how well are these services realizing their objectives? I conclude by considering the implications of the research literature for the most promising strategies for alleviating the problems of post-release employment.