Miriam Northcutt Bohmert
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Indiana University
Key Findings
- The Affordable Homes Program (AHP) has a narrower focus than traditional prison-based vocational programs because it provides experiential, hands-on training in the community – exclusively in the construction trade – for felony-level offenders.
- Participation in AHP significantly increased the chances of obtaining employment in a construction-related field, but did not significantly increase the odds of obtaining post-release employment in general.
- While AHP participants had lower rates of recidivism, the program did not significantly reduce the risk of recidivism.
Description
In the article, “Minnesota’s Affordable Homes Program: Evaluating the Effects of a Prison Work Program on Recidivism, Employment and Cost Avoidance,” Bohmert examines the Affordable Homes Program (AHP), a prison work crew program managed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC), which trains offenders in the construction trade while they are serving time in prison. Bohmert seeks to determine if AHP achieves its two key objectives: first, to increase affordable housing in Minnesota;
and second, to provide inmates with occupational skills to help them obtain employment upon their release from prison. Bohmert concludes that participation in AHP “significantly increased the chances of obtaining employment in a construction-related field,” but did not significantly increase the odds of obtaining post-release employment in general. Additionally, while AHP participants had lower rates of recidivism, the program did not significantly reduce the risk of recidivism.