Abstract
This thesis explores potential post-release employment opportunities and wages for participants in vocational training programs within the California, Florida, New York, and Texas prison systems. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), this study examined the 2022 employment figures and median hourly and annual wages for occupations targeted by these programs. This study aimed to assess whether vocational training programs in state prisons aligned with the workforce profiles of their respective states. Building upon a 2014 California Senate Office of Research report, which focused on vocational training programs in California prisons, this research expanded its scope to include the other three states. Vocational training program titles and descriptions from each state for 2022 were matched to occupation major groups defined by the BLS. Employment numbers and median hourly and annual wages were reviewed using the May 2022 OEWS dataset. Results showed that vocational training programs across all four state prison systems commonly target Construction and Extraction occupations, Installation, Maintenance and Repair occupations, and Production occupations. These align well with the states' workforce profiles and often offer relatively high job density and wages. Programs targeting Food Preparation and Serving occupations, Personal Care and Services occupations, and Farming, Fishing, and Forestry occupations did not fare as well. These results can be a valuable metric for states to evaluate the effectiveness of their vocational training programs as they emphasize the importance of targeting fields with high job density and wages to enhance post-release employment prospects.