Offender Workforce Development Specialists and Their Impact on the Post-Release Outcomes of Ex-Offenders

The author highlights the findings of a program evaluation that used post-release outcome information, among other sources, to determine the impact of the National Institute of Corrections' (NIC) Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) program as it was implemented by the Kansas Department of Corrections. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine the extent to which the OWD specialists, and the program itself, had contributed to the successful reentry of ex-offenders.