Joe Graffam

Abstract Six broad domains were identified as influencing reintegration of ex-offenders including personal conditions, social network/environment, accommodation, criminal justice system, rehabilitation and counselling support, and employment and training support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 offenders and 22 professionals from criminal justice, accommodation, employment support, and rehabilitation program sectors. Participants were asked to identify variables within each domain that affect success or failure of offenders in making a positive life transition. Identified variables included a readiness to change, achieving stable housing and obtaining employment, avoiding illegal activity and complying with mandatory reporting, remaining free of dependency, and addressing basic education and training needs.

Although the association between unemployment and offending is well established, relatively little is known about the impact of vocational education and training programs on re-offending, with much of the previous work in this area failing to control for, or correct, selection bias. This article reports the findings of a systematic review, which considers the findings of only those studies that have used experimental or quasi-experimental designs to evaluate vocational training and employment program outcomes for adult offenders. The analysis identifies key features, based on these studies, of those programs associated with the best outcomes and recommends selection criteria for those who are most likely to benefit from prison vocational education and training.

This paper is based on results of a national study in Australia. Questionnaires were completed by 643 employers, each of whom had employed a person with a disability between 1996--1998. Employers rated the importance of several factors relevant to decisions to hire and retain a person with a disability. Individual factors were rated most important, with grooming/hygiene and work-performance factors rated highest. Management factors and cost factors were rated moderately important. Social factors were rated least important. Analyses of variance were conducted, identifying several employer differences in ratings. The paper discusses employer values as well as the need to include employers in a partnership approach.

Humor studies are increasingly prevalent in workplace and leadership domains, it has shown significant development in the last 40 years. The multifaceted nature of humor means varied definitions and diverse measurement approaches have been approved. As a result, research methodologies and findings are not easily clarified, and have not been synthesized. The aim of this scoping review was to review the existing body of literature relevant to humor in workplace leadership to identify key research areas, methodologies used, guiding theoretical frameworks, and gaps that are persisting over the last 40 years. Using qualitative review methods, four key themes in the research emerged relating to: (1) humor styles and outcomes; (2) humor as communication and discursive resource; (3) variables in the humor and leadership relationship; and (4) cultural context. This review demonstrates significant research progress on the topic of humor in workplace leadership. Research progress and gaps are discussed based on five key questions. Future research directions are outlined and discussed.

This study examines the role of emotional state in the reintegration of ex-prisoners. Participants were 101 adult prisoners (72 male, 29 female) who completed a questionnaire 1 month prior to their release and at two postrelease points focusing, first, on prison-related experiences and, second, on the quality of life conditions experienced following release. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory were also completed at each interview. Results indicate that mean BDI-II scores were significantly higher at prerelease than postrelease, while mean anxiety scores were unchanged over the period under investigation. There are significant relationships between numerous reintegration variables and emotional state following release. At each postrelease point, lower depression and anxiety among participants were related to higher age and improved psychological health. Higher depression and anxiety were related to participation in a postrelease program. Theoretical implications for reintegration theory are discussed, together with practical applications.