Vocational Psychology and Ex-Offenders' Reintegration: A Call for Action

Failure to find steady and rewarding employment and stabilizing economic resources are key contributors to recidivism among ex-offenders. Within 3 years of their release, almost two thirds of ex-offenders return to prison. Ex-offenders face formidable barriers to employment including legal limitations and those specific to their skills, education, and training. In addition to these real barriers and the stigma associated with having a criminal record, the ex-offender's prospect of securing employment is further complicated by the high national unemployment rate that is characteristic of our current economic downturn. Furthermore, due to limited and or restricted hiring opportunities, ex-offenders may be unable to pursue jobs that best fit their interests. Discussion of the role of work in the lives of ex-offenders has been scarce in the vocational psychology literature. Hence, this article illuminates the ex-offender's reintegration process and the vocational implications of having a criminal record. The author argues that the field of vocational psychology is distinctively qualified to assume a greater presence in the scholarly literature relevant to the vocational needs of ex-offenders.