UC Irvine study: CALPIA job training programs are effective
A second University of California, Irvine study shows most California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) job training programs lower recidivism rates.
The study found most all job training programs and enterprises through CALPIA are equally matched when it comes to lower rates of rearrests, reconvictions, and reincarcerations among participants.
“These results prove that CALPIA’s job training programs work – no matter what program is available, incarcerated individuals will benefit by participating in the long run.” said General Manager Bill Davidson. “The skills learned by incarcerated individuals make a positive difference when it comes to their reentry and success.”
In October 2023, The California Prison Industry Board adopted the study entitled, “The Effect of Correctional Career Training on Recidivism: An Evaluation of California Prison Industry Authority: Comparison Among CALPIA Programs.”
The study was completed by Dr. Susan F. Turner and Dr. James Hess and through the Center for Evidence-Based Corrections at the University of California, Irvine (UCI).
‘When they go through a CALPIA program (recidivism) numbers are lower’
“Asking the question, do we see any differences in numbers when individuals return to the community in terms of rearrests, reconvictions, or returning to custody? The answer is yes, when they go through a CALPIA program all these numbers are lower,” said Dr. Turner.
The study analyzed individuals who participated in CALPIA programs by separating the CALPIA programs into thirteen different groups, placing similar programs together. The strategy was the same used as in the previous report which examined arrest, conviction and return to custody.
“Our findings suggest that the enterprise programs perform about equally well with the exception of Career Technical Education, which appears to do slightly better than other enterprises,” added Dr. Turner.
The first UCI Recidivism Study was completed in 2021 and determined the official recidivism rates among incarcerated individuals who participated in any CALPIA program. The study statistically matched individuals with results showing that participation in CALPIA is associated with reduced offending overall.
“In my decades of evaluating correctional programs, not all show positive effects,” said Dr. Turner. “It’s a welcome change to see these impressive findings for CALPIA.”
Study methodology
The study compared CALPIA participants with at least six months in the program and released between August 2014 and July 2018 with incarcerated individuals who were accepted into the CALPIA program and put on a waitlist but were released before they could actively participate.
By three years after release, only 15.4 percent of CALPIA participants had been returned to custody. In addition, only 20.8 percent of CALPIA participants had been reconvicted of a crime after three years of release. The number of arrests among CALPIA participants was also lower than the rates for the Waitlist group.
The UCI study utilized 8,603 incarcerated individuals released from custody from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Of these individuals, 2,453 participated in CALPIA and 6,150 qualified for CALPIA but never had the opportunity to participate.
“Incarcerated individuals gain valuable job training through our programs to become successful when they leave prison. That is definitely a win for them, their loved ones, and the State of California,” said Davidson.
CALPIA is a self-funded state entity that provides job skills to approximately 5,700 incarcerated individuals at all CDCR prisons. CALPIA reduces recidivism and enhances prison and public safety by providing incarcerated individuals with life-changing training opportunities for successful re-entry into the community.
CALPIA’s program goal supports CDCR’s public safety mission by developing incarcerated individuals who have:
- job skills and good work habits
- basic education
- and job support in the community.
This way, when they are released, they never return to prison.
CALPIA incarcerated individuals receive industry-accredited certifications that employers value.
See the studies
Here is the link for the second CALPIA Recidivism Study (2023): The Effect of Correctional Career Training on Recidivism – CALPIA
Here is the link for the first CALPIA Recidivism Study (2021): The Effect of Prison Industry on Recidivism (ca.gov)