Study Details | Pathways to Work

25420-Study of New York Ci

Study quality: Low

Low

Reason for the rating: This study received a low study quality rating because it is a high-attrition randomized controlled trial that does not adjust estimated impacts for potentially important differences between the program and comparison groups.

Program: New York City Justice Corps (NYCJC)

Characteristics of study participants:

Justice involvement, Unemployed, Young adults (age 16-24)

Services provided:

Case management, Employment coaching, Job development, Job placement, Job readiness, Paid work experience/internships, Peer mentoring, Post-employment participant follow-up, Soft skills training, Stipends

Setting: Urban only

Methods and Standards Protocol version used for review: Version 1.0

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Study design

Design:

Randomized controlled trial

Study group formation:

Two program sites recruited and enrolled eligible youth who were 18 to 24 years old, were involved in the criminal justice system (were on parole or probation, were in an alternative to incarceration program, or had been released from prison or jail in the last year), and lived in specific zip codes in the Bronx or Brooklyn, NY. Eligible applicants were enrolled in the study in cohorts and randomly assigned to the program or comparison group. Random assignment occurred from October 2008 to December 2009 and was initially conducted across all referral sources (three cohorts) but then conducted separately by referral source (eight cohorts).

Time period of study:

Individuals enrolled in the study from October 2008 to December 2009 and were followed for up to two and a half years.

Pathways to Work only reports results from studies with a study quality rating of high or moderate.

Sample characteristics

Age

Young adults (age 16-24)

100%

Sex

Female	9%
Male	91%

Race and ethnicity

Black or African American	75%
White	3%
Hispanic or Latino of any race	33%
Unknown, not reported, or other	24%

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.

Family status

Married	3%
Parents	31%

Employment and public benefit status

Were employed	12%
Were unemployed	88%

Education

Had a high school diploma or GED	31%
Did not have a high school diploma or GED	69%

Specific employment barriers

Were involved with the justice system

100%

Program implementation

Implementing organization:

New York City Justice Corps

Program services:

New York City Justice Corps was a six-month employment-related program for justice-involved young adults ages 18 to 24. Participants progressed through three phases of services: (1) job-readiness and life skills training, (2) community service, and (3) paid internships in public or private organizations or placement in a job or educational program. Participants could continue to receive work-readiness services during Phases 2 and 3, and in all phases, participants could receive job coaching, counseling, and education services. Participants received a small weekly stipend while they were in the program (up to $280 per week). After graduating from the six-month program, participants could receive job retention services for up to an additional six months.

Mandatory services:

None.

Comparison services:

Comparison group members were referred to alternative employment-related programs.

Study publications

Bauer, Erin L., Scott Crosse, Karla McPherson, Janet Friedman, Joy Zacharia, Donna Tapper, and Ryan Clarke (2014). Evaluation of the New York City Justice Corps: Final outcome report, Rockville, MD: Westat. Available at https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/opportunity/pdf/Westat-Justice-Corps-Evaulation.pdf.

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Study of New York City Justice Corps (NYCJC)