CBI-Emp offers 31 group sessions developed by the University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute, including skill- and application-based sessions. The intervention primarily supported soft skills development. Skill-based sessions taught participants positive social skills to manage employment challenges, and application sessions provided participants with support for building individual plans for success in the workplace. Three community-based organizations that deliver job-readiness services and have experience serving fathers involved in the justice system implemented CBI-Emp.
Eligible participants were fathers who had been involved with the justice system in the last 3 years, were at least 18 years old, had kids younger than 25, and were moderately or highly likely to experience justice involvement in the future. Participants were told to attend 14 skill-based sessions and 6 application sessions; the other 11 were optional Each session was between 60 and 90 minutes and programming lasted five weeks. Financial incentives varied at each organization, but participants received between $25 and $200 depending on how many sessions they attended.
CBI-Emp was implemented from October 2016 to December 2018 in the three locations of participating organizations: Cleveland, OH; New York, NY; and Dunbar, WV.
CBI-Emp provided a series of workshops to fathers with prior justice involvement. The workshops aimed to teach cognitive behavioral skills that would help participants become job ready and maintain employment.