Study Details | Pathways to Work

101019.02-Study of Palm Beach

Study quality: High

High

Reason for the rating: This study received a high study quality rating because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition, suggesting the findings can be attributed to the program.

Program: Palm Beach County Transitional Employment Program

Characteristics of study participants:

Justice involvement, Public benefits recipients, Unemployed

Services provided:

Case management, Job readiness, Job search assistance, Mental health services, Soft skills training, Subsidized employment/transitional jobs, Work supports

Setting: Tested in multiple settings

Methods and Standards Protocol version used for review: Version 2.0

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Study design

Design:

Randomized controlled trial

Study group formation:

Eligible individuals who expressed interest in participating in the Palm Beach County Transitional Employment Program (PBC TEP) were randomly assigned into the treatment or comparison group by a case manager. A post-pandemic onset cohort of 60 individuals was randomized between March 2020 and March 2021, with 24 individuals assigned to treatment group and 36 individuals assigned to the comparison group.

Time period of study:

The study ran from March 2020 to October 2022 for the post-pandemic cohort. Study enrollment was from March 2020 through March 2021 for the post-pandemic cohort. The study collected employment data for this cohort between March 2020 and October 2022, with outcomes measured for an 18-month follow-up period after program enrollment.

Primary outcome domains examined:

Increase short-term employment

Other outcome domains examined:

Recidivism

Study funded by:

The study was funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Grant Number 2017-CZ-BX-0003.

Results

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Outcome domain	Measure	Timing	Study quality by finding	Comparison group mean	Program group mean	Impact	Units	Findings	Sample size
Increase short-term employment	Employed at any time in follow-up period	Month 18	High	44.40	45.80	1.40	percentage points		60

Short-term outcomes are those measured 18 months or fewer after participants are first offered services. Long-term outcomes are those measured between 18 months and 5 years after participants are first offered services. Very long-term outcomes are those measured 5 years or more after participants are first offered services.

Means are not displayed when not reported or not aligned with the impact estimates. For example, if the impact estimate is regression-adjusted but only unadjusted means are reported in the study, the unadjusted means are not displayed as they are not aligned with the adjusted impact estimate.

Impact estimates are not shown when the estimate units cannot be converted to natural units.

Findings quality key:

High
Moderate

Study quality terms?

The findings quality describe our confidence that a given study’s finding is because of the program. We do not display findings that rate low.

Findings key:

A moderate-to-large favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A moderate-to-large favorable finding that might to be due to chance
A small favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A small favorable finding that might be due to chance
A favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A favorable finding that might be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A moderate-to-large unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A moderate-to-large unfavorable finding that might to be due to chance
A small unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A small unfavorable finding that might be due to chance
An unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
An unfavorable finding that might be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size or direction
A finding of no effect that might be due to chance

Favorable findings are impacts in a direction that is socially desirable. Statistical significance indicates the likelihood that a study finding is due to the program, rather than due to chance. Findings are described as moderate-to-large if the program produced a sufficiently large change in the outcome. An impact receives this designation if the standardized effect size is equal to or greater than 0.25 or equal to or less than -0.25.

Sample characteristics

The program served adults returning to Palm Beach County from state prison or jail who volunteered for reentry services and were at higher risk of reoffending and not job-ready. The study reported baseline characteristics for the full randomized sample (pre- and post-COVID onset combined). Most participants were male (94 percent) and unemployed (94 percent). The majority of participants were Black, non-Hispanic (76 percent), and had least a high school diploma or GED (54 percent). The average participant was 40 years old.

Age

Mean age

40 years

Sex

Female	6%
Male	94%

Race and ethnicity

Black or African American	75%
White	23%
Hispanic or Latino of any race	6%
Another race	2%

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if the authors reported race and ethnicity separately; in these cases, we report the category White, rather than White, not Hispanic.

Employment and public benefit status

Were unemployed

94%

Education

Had a high school diploma or GED

54%

Specific employment barriers

Were involved with the justice system

100%

Program implementation

Implementing organization:

Three community-based reentry service providers that specialized in construction, culinary, and warehouse/retail industries.

Program history:

The program was launched in 2018, the first year of the study.

Program services:

Palm Beach County Transitional Employment Program (PBC TEP) was designed as an enhanced voluntary reentry program for adults at higher risk of re-offending that provided 8-12 weeks of subsidized transitional employment, structured cognitive behavioral programs, and job readiness/life skills workshops in addition to standard reentry services.

Mandatory services:

None

Comparison services:

The comparison group consisted of adults who received reentry services as usual without subsidized transitional employment, cognitive behavioral programs, and job readiness/life skills workshops.

Service receipt duration:

Services were delivered over an 8-12 week period.

Program funding:

The program was funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Grant Number 2017-CZ-BX-0003.

Study publications

Atkin-Plunk, Cassandra A. 2024. Examining the effects of a transitional employment program for formerly incarcerated people on employment and recidivism: A randomized controlled trial during COVID-19. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 20: 1293-1321. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-023-09578-6

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Pathways to Work refers to programs by the names used in study reports or manuscripts. Some program names may use language that is not consistent with our style guide, preferences, or the terminology we use to describe populations.

Study of Palm Beach County Transitional Employment Program - Post-pandemic Cohort