From Prison to Work: The Employment Dimensions of Prisoner Reentry

This report of the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center Reentry Roundtable explores the transition from prison to work and discusses what we know about the employment-related needs of prisoners, the current opportunities and restrictions on work in prisons, the concerns of potential employers, and the essential elements of the handful of programs that have shown promising post-release employment outcomes. The challenge remains to: maximize the opportunities for learning, experience, and skill-building that are present during incarceration; and create a seamless transition to work beyond the prison walls.