Competency-based training supports reentry initiatives.

Many criminal justice agencies and organizations spend numerous resources developing and overseeing reentry initiatives in an effort to reduce recidivism. Agency directors, administrators and legislators often claim (and rightfully so) that recidivism reduction is the primary goal of reentry programs. However, improving the performance of line staff, who work closely with offenders as they prepare for transition, may be equally as important. For example, it is hypothesized that if an offender has an education, the knowledge and skills to obtain and retain a job, or the ability to avoid alcohol and narcotics, he or she will have a better chance of successfully reintegrating into society. To increase the likelihood of success and to ensure that quality services are delivered, the line staff or officer working directly with the offender must also possess a high level of knowledge, skills and abilities in these areas.

Staff can become proficient in assisting offenders in the reentry process by participating in competency-based training, which targets a specific skill or set of skills that are deemed most beneficial as defined by theory, evidence-based practices and nationally endorsed standards. These competencies can be acquired in a variety of ways, including classroom and on-the-job training, e-learning, homework assignments, group work, role playing, or a blended approach, which combines several methods of delivery. Proficiency in the newly acquired skills can be demonstrated through tests, written assignments and classroom presentations.

Historically, competency-based training has been used primarily in the education and medical fields. It was not until recently that it found roots in the private sector and now, in criminal justice agencies and related organizations. While fields of study differ in their intensity and scope of training, they share a common element in that training attempts to ensure participants become highly competent in fulfilling major tasks and activities and are able to handle industry-specific responsibilities.

OWDS Program

The Offender Workforce Development Specialist (OWDS) program, provided by the National Institute of Corrections, is an example of competency-based training. The OWDS program is offered through partnerships with local, state and federal jurisdictions and is designed to train professionals (e.g., personnel in prisons, jails, community corrections facilities, colleges, employment agencies and other community-based organizations) who offer one or more of the following to offenders:

* Employment training;

* Placement and retention services; or

* Career counseling.

Based on career theory, the OWDS curriculum is endorsed by the National Career Development Association and leads to a nationally recognized Global Career Development Facilitator certificate. During training, OWDS participants complete 86 hours of classroom work and 72 hours of practicum and homework assignments.

A major component of competency-based training is evaluating the program's goals and objectives and measuring its overall effectiveness through data collection. There are several reasons for doing this. First, without measurements, it would be difficult to establish whether the training has accomplished what was intended. Second, a proper evaluation provides direction on how to make improvements for subsequent trainings. Third, many agencies and organizations in the public sector require that the effectiveness of their programs be justifiable before resources are allocated. Because of these and other reasons, the National Institute of Corrections has developed the OWDS evaluation process.

OWDS Evaluation Process

The evaluation process overall is similar to evaluation processes used by the private sector; however, it has been designed specifically for the OWDS training program. For example, two metrics common to competency-based training (staff proficiency and applicability of new skills) are gathered to measure the effectiveness of the program. In essence, the evaluation attempts to discern whether participants' proficiency increased overall when newly learned skills were applied in their home agencies and whether the skills learned were applicable to the participants' work with offenders. Certain components of the process (e.g., pre-and post-testing, role playing, demonstrating newly learned skills with offenders through a video recording, classroom presentations, self-report surveys, and interviews) help to pin-point performance areas that resulted in skill gain and identify other areas that may need improvement. Other variables that may affect the program's outcome indirectly are also measured. These include participant demographics and participant satisfaction with the program material and training personnel.

Competency-based Training

In 2004, the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), in partnership with NIC, began providing OWDS training to KDOC staff, community corrections professionals, Department of Labor personnel and other agencies in Kansas that provide employment services to offenders. Results of a demographic survey highlighted the need for this type of training. Seventy-four percent of the participants indicated that they worked face-to-face with offenders on labor market related issues on a daily basis. However, 68 percent of the participants had not undergone any formal training on offender employment issues prior to attending the OWDS program. In spite of the lack of previous training, participants increased their scores between the pre- and post-tests by an average of 17 percent. After the program, participants reported being very satisfied with their training experience and rated the program and the trainers highly.

Upon returning to their home agencies, participants reported using the newly learned OWDS knowledge and skills with their offender clients. Graduates of two Kansas OWDS partnership trainings reported using the competency "facilitation skills" with 59 percent of the total group of offenders who received services. Additionally, participants completed a follow-up survey six-months after completing the program in which they indicated that they had experienced increased support from management on employment related issues, increased collaboration between their home agency and other agencies, and increased involvement with local businesses relative to offender work force issues.

A holistic view of the results of the evaluation shows that the Kansas OWDS training team selected the appropriate participants and these participants were highly satisfied with the program and with the trainers. In addition, there was a significant increase in participants' performance between the pre- and post-tests. Following training, the participants were able to apply their new skills and knowledge on the job and increase agency involvement and collaborations with local businesses.

Trained Participants

Do properly trained, highly satisfied participants who use new knowledge and skills once they return to the workplace have a positive impact on the offenders they serve? In reference to OWDS training, that question is yet to be answered. However, NIC and KDOC are in the processes of creating a data collection system that will attempt to provide an answer to that very important question. The system will capture such information as the specific skills that participants have applied while working with a particular offender, the offender's previous and current work history (to include wage level and type of benefits, if any), the offender's access to appropriate housing and reliable transportation, and the offender's recidivism data, when applicable. A pilot test of this system is scheduled in 2007. Visit the NIC Web site at http://nicic.org/OWD for more information on NIC's Offender Workforce Development initiatives.

Scott Weygandt is a social science analyst with the National Institute of Corrections in Washington, D.C.