Ready, Willing, and Able (RWA)
Problems addressed
Effectiveness

No Effect

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No Effect

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Life periods served
Country of application
Description

This is a transitional residence program that provides employment for people who have recently left incarceration. The goal is to prevent recidivism through guaranteed employment, income, housing, and financial stability. Program participants must be accepted into foster care facilities managed by the Department of Homelessness Services and undergo medical and psychiatric evaluations. The intervention consists of bimonthly meetings with a case manager, where an individualized transition and independence plan is developed, and adherence to the program is assessed. The program has an average duration of one year and is structured in three phases:
1) The first 30 days;
2) Transition employment, and
3) Transition to independence.
At the end of the program, participants receive financial assistance for five months if they maintain employment, housing, and sobriety requirements.

Impact evaluations

An impact assessment showed that, after three years, the program produced a statistically significant reduction in jail sentences, but there was no impact on apprehension, conviction, and prison sentence rates [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Sirois, C. & Western, B. (2010). An Evaluation of "Ready, Willing & Able". Cambridge, MA. Harvard University. https://prisonstudiesproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/RWA_evaluat…

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