Life Skills is divided into two components, Unemployment and Financial Management.  The problems being addressed are:  1) The need for skills in job search and retention, and financial management, and 2) The need to impact factors that relate to criminal behavior.

The Life Skills program targets the unemployed probationer and any offender probated with hot checks and probationers who are two months, or more, delinquent with their court ordered financial obligations.  In addition, defendants who are identified by means of the Case Classification System to be in need of the resource will be targeted, and those offenders ordered by the court. 

The curriculum for Employment Training covers the following topics:  1) Are You Better Off Working?, 2) Putting the Bars Behind You, 3) First Impressions, 4) Job Survival Skills, 5) The Job Hunt, 6) Getting a Job and Keeping It, 7) On the Job, 8) Newspaper Ads, 9) Job Resources, and 10) Job Search.

The curriculum for Financial Management covers the following topics:  1) Good Money Management, 2) Values and Goals, 3) Intelligent Money Management Video, 4) Personal Money Management, 5) Using a Checking Account, 6) Consumer Protection Skills, 7) Using Credit, 8) Comparing Prices, 9) Part II of Using a Checking Account, and 10) Goals.

Successful Completion:  Employment Program Length: 1-35 days. The offender remains in the program on a progressive and sequential basis until all requirements have been completed. The teacher will monitor progress by checking the offender’s work and by utilizing the checklist method.  Offenders who have attained meaningful employment and have completed all requirements will be considered successfully completed.  If the offender has not secured employment by the end of the course, but has made positive progress, he/she will be considered a successful completion.   The Supervision Officer should continue requiring the offender to turn in employment search forms at each report until stable employment is obtained. The individual may be continued past 35 days, if necessary. 

Successful Completion: Financial Management Program Length: 1-35 days. The offender remains in the program on a progressive and sequential basis until all requirements have been fulfilled. The teacher will monitor progress by checking the offender’s work and utilizing the checklist method.  The offender will be considered successfully completed when all requirements are completed or positive progress has been made at the time of discharge.  The individual may be continued past 35 days, if necessary.

The following table illustrates activity of the Life Skills Program from FY ’04 through FY ’07:

The following table illustrates Life Skills Program discharge data by Discharge Reason: