Experimental Design
Using a randomized controlled trial design, LEO and Televerde aim to answer the research question: Does an intensive, holistic in-prison education and reentry program delivered behind bars improve economic stability, recidivism, and in-prison experience for recently incarcerated women? Study enrollment will begin in December 2025 and continue through December 2028, with the possibility of extending if desired sample size is not met.
We are targeting a total sample size of approximately 1,284 individuals randomized across all four sites over the three years (six cohorts) of the study, with approximately half in the treatment group and half in the control group. In practice, however, all spots in the treatment group for each facility and cohort will be filled regardless of the number of applicants. Randomization will be conducted within each facility-cohort applicant pool by generating a random number for each applicant and randomizing the order of applicants on the program waitlist. Individuals who are part of the study once (either treatment or control) cannot be part of the study a second time (say, if they are re-incarcerated or still incarcerated). Any pre-existing study participants will be removed from the applicant pool prior to randomization for each cohort. Applicants will be assigned to the treatment group in this random order until all spots are filled. In the event of program attrition within the first two weeks, vacant spots may be filled by the next person on the random-ordered list. After the first two weeks, no vacancies will be filled in the event of attrition. In the event that there are fewer than 1.5 times the number of applicants as available spots in a given cohort at a given facility, that cohort will be excluded from the study. In the event of insufficient program applicants to reach the target sample size in three years, additional cohorts will be added onto the end of the study period until the target sample size is reached, pending approval from ADCRR and/or IDOC.
The treatment group will receive access to the Career PATHS intervention, which provides six months of holistic workforce development reentry programming. Career PATHS graduates will also receive post-release support such as care packages, housing search assistance, and peer mentoring for a limited time through an additional program called PATHS Reentry. Those assigned to the control will not be eligible for Career PATHS but will remain eligible for any other programs offered in their respective prisons. The control group will have the opportunity to participate in PATHS Reentry if they are employed post-release, but historically very few individuals have taken up PATHS Reentry services after release if they did not participate in Career PATHS while incarcerated.