Simon Kolbeck will be presenting his MA thesis titled "Turning Points or Self-Control: Adjudicating Among Competing Interpretations of the Employment-Recidivism Relationship." Below is a brief abstract of Simon's study.
Abstract: Prior research indicates an inverse relationship between post-prison employment and recidivism. However, research has not established whether post-prison employment stability reflects the continuation of a pattern established prior to entering prison, or whether it reflects a real change in the life course. Drawing from a sample of ex-prisoners, we decompose patterns of pre- and post-prison employment stability. Consistent with prior research, we find that 1) most participants have non-changing patterns from the pre- to post-prison period; 2) post-prison employment stability drives reduction in recidivism, not pre-prison stability; and 3) many participants with low employment stability pre-prison were able to change and establish stable post-prison employment, reducing their recidivism risk comparably to participants with stable pre- and post-prison employment. Although the findings still leave room for theoretical ambiguity, it is clear that a change in employment stability can substantially increase the chances of avoiding new crime.