Should Government Go It Alone or With a Partner? A Comparison of Outcomes from a Work Release Program Using Different Policy Tools

• NCJ Number: 252536
• Journal: Public Administration Review Volume: 78 Issue: 4 Dated: 2018 Pages: 545-555
• Author(s): Haeil Jung; Deanna Malatesta; Robert J. LaLonde
• Date Published: 2018
• Length: 11 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2002-DB-BX-0017
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Evaluation; Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article compared labor market outcomes from two different approaches to a work release program in Illinois: direct provision by a government and a purchase-of-service (POS) contract between government and a public charity.

Abstract

Significantly better employment and earnings outcomes were associated with the POS contract. To better understand the reasons for the success of the POS contract, the study further examined the specific terms of the contract, organizational expertise, and the political context of POS contracts. The results are organized according to the main theoretical assertions. Findings add to the weight of evidence that contractors, like public charities, can be valuable government partners for addressing challenging social policies and programs. (publisher abstract modified)