Pathway Home Evaluation

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (US DOL’s) Chief Evaluation Office contracted with Mathematica and SPR to evaluate the implementation and impact of the Pathway Home Reentry Grant program to learn more about the effectiveness of job-focused programs for people returning to society after being incarcerated. The evaluation seeks to understand how these programs , which begin working with individuals while incarcerated and transition to post-release services, can be run more effectively and the impact they have on participants’ involvement in the criminal justice system and on their employment. The findings of this evaluation aim to help policymakers and program designers in the reentry field make more informed decisions about the design and delivery of reentry services.

The study team recently published a series of briefs that can be found on US DOL’s website.

In particular, SPR’s Ivette Gutierrez, Skye Allmang, and Maddhi Jayagoda along with Mathematica’s Armando Yanez wrote about the successes and challenges grantees experienced in establishing grant programs inside correctional facilities. They found:

• • Programs provided case management services, individualized career plans, and job and work readiness training behind bars.
  • Creating a supportive environment within correctional facilities is essential to the success of reentry programs with the key being establishing clear communication channels between the correctional facility and the program providers.
  • Reentry programs should prioritize early and frequent meetings with correctional partners to better understand the unique culture and procedures of each facility, which is essential for program success.