A criminal record is severe handicap that affects employment. Bonding and licensing regulations, employer attitudes, and psychological maladjustment of ex-offenders are aspects of employment problems. Understanding and active involvement of rehabilitation counselors and community can help overcome employment barriers and help ex-offenders become…

This article describes the Maryland Comprehensive Offender Model Program (COMP), designed to deliver manpower services to offenders while they are incarcerated and until they are placed in training or employment. Counseling was based on the Reality Therapy model with a high structured format for group sessions. (Author)

Measured attitudes of disabled individuals toward the staff who gave them rehabilitation services. Attitudes of two groups at a rehabilitation hospital were evaluated: (a) clients from a vocational rehabilitation workshop and (b) clients from a community college satellite program. Found clients in the community college program perceived staff as…

Employment counselors appraised personal and job-related attributes of rehabilitation counselors. Rehabilitation counselors rated themselves and how they believed employment counselors would rate rehabilitation counselors on the same scale. Results show rehabilitation counselors' self-ratings which, when compared to how they believed employment…

Provides insight into the desirability of assigning clients to counselors with a high proportion of successful closures with members of the clients' disability group. The criterion of desirability was the Cooper-Rubin suitability-of-placement index. Results indicated no positive relationship between counselors' proportion of successful closures…

In many respects ex-offenders can be seen as "socially disabled" persons, subject to the same treatment as other minority groups. Both counselors and clients must work to overcome barriers in the counseling relationship. Certain affirmative approaches are discussed, including self-help groups, peer counseling, and the use of paraprofessionals.…

One problem facing a person coming out of prison is unemployment. Employment may be the most important aspect of offender rehabilitation. This article discusses the development of a prerelease employment orientation program. It also looks into the merits of assessment and evaluation of persons entering the prison system. (Author)

The Arizona Department of Economic Security Ex-Offender Program is designed to assist clients with multiple severe employment barriers. A fictional case study outlines the problems of a typical client and traces the work of the Ex-Offender Program from the client's incarceration until after his release. (Author)