Assessing the statewide impact of the Specter Vocational Program on reentry outcomes A propensity score matching analysis

The Specter program was a vocational work program offered by the Florida Department of Corrections from 1997–2012. Using propensity score matching, inmates who earned a Specter vocational certificate had statistically significantly lower rates of recidivism within three years of release from prison compared to inmates who had not earned a certificate. However, those who earned a Specter certificate did not have statistically significant improvements in postrelease employment within three months of release. As a result, we will discuss the possibilities for conflicting findings regarding employment and recidivism as well as potential avenues for future research.

Hill, L., Scaggs, S., & Bales, WD. (2017). Assessing the statewide impact of the Specter Vocational Program on reentry outcomes: A propensity score matching analysis. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 56(1), 61-86. DOI: 10.1080/10509674.2016.1257535