The Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (RExO) initiative was launched in 2005 as a joint initiative by the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Department of Justice. RExO was set up to strengthen urban communities heavily affected by the challenges associated with high numbers of prisoners seeking to re-enter their communities following the completion of their sentences. It does so by funding employment-focused programs that include mentoring and capitalize on the strengths of faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs). In June 2009, ETA contracted with Social Policy Research Associates (SPR), and its subcontractors MDRC and the National Opinion Research Center (NORC), to conduct a random assignment (RA) impact evaluation of the 24 RExO grantees that had been in operation for more than three years. The RA study largely took place during the fifth year of these grantees’ operations. A critical component of this evaluation is an implementation study, which includes two rounds of site visits to each of the 24 RExO grantees and alternative providers in their communities. This report summarizes the key findings from this implementation study; including findings on the community context and general structure of the RExO grantees; their recruitment, intake and enrollment strategies; the RA process itself; the services RExO grantees and their partners provide; the specific partnerships in place to provide services; and the services available through alternative providers (to which comparison group members were referred) in the 24 communities.

This resource guide documents the cities and counties that have taken steps to remove barriers to employment for qualified workers with criminal records, specifically by removing conviction history questions from job applications—a reform commonly known as “ban the box.” This updated guide summarizes the 41 local jurisdictions across the U.S. that have adopted “ban the box” in the past seven years. The guide provides key information for local officials and advocates to initiate reforms in their communities, including contact information, media, and campaign material links.