Hard to Employ Demonstration and Evaluation Project

This study began in late 2005 and continued into early 2008. It evaluated programs designed to assist those persons who have found it particularly difficult to obtain and keep employment due to criminal history, mental health history, or poor job performance.

Using Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing, the study was carried out at five sites across the country at the 15-month point after random assignment into either a treatment or control group. In three of the five sites, the development of children of sample members was assessed using standardized instruments; in one of the sites, bio-samples were collected from respondents and their children, and children 9 to 16 took a self-administered survey via Audio Computer-Assisted Self Administered Interview. Tracking and tracing hard-to-locate respondents was an integral part of this study. HumRRO staff were responsible for pretesting the instruments and had ongoing responsibility for data collection, data processing, and the maintenance of an extensive customized database.