Policy problem
A large fraction of adult offenders in Texas are rearrested (45%), reconvicted (35%), or reincarcerated (20%) within three years of their release. To address this high incidence of criminal recidivism, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) uses a three-phased reentry program. Specifically, the program focuses on facilitating and supporting adult offenders in securing sustainable employment after they are released from incarceration in a state facility. Prior to release, offenders are assisted with obtaining the necessary identification documents to apply for employment. Individuals at higher risk or with more pressing needs are also provided with individualized case management. Upon release, clients access a number of services connecting them to prospective jobs, such as individualized job referrals, job fairs, and large-scale hiring events.
Our approach
TDCJ engaged the Texas Policy Lab to evaluate the impact of the three-phased reentry program by quantifying the effect of participating in the program on employment outcomes and recidivism. Using a combination of TDCJ’s administrative records and employment records from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the Policy Lab will leverage two large administrative datasets and implement cutting-edge econometric techniques to conduct a rigorous impact evaluation.
Results and Impact
The Texas Policy Lab facilitated a pioneering data sharing process to merge two significant state agency datasets. This lays the groundwork for future efforts to assess policy impact utilizing untapped administrative data. This evaluation is still in process, and we anticipate that the results from the evaluation study will inform TDCJ’s program design, improvement and/or expansion decisions.