Study Details | Pathways to Work

101015.01-Study of Roca Pay fo

Study quality: Low

Low

Reason for the rating: This study received a low study quality rating because it is a high-attrition randomized controlled trial that does not demonstrate that the intervention and comparison groups were sufficiently similar before the intervention.

Intervention: Roca Pay for Success Pilot Program (Roca PFS Pilot)

Population and employment barriers:

Age (Young adults (age 16-24)), Specific employment barriers (Justice involvement)

Services provided:

Basic skills/bridge programs, Case management, Employment coaching, Integrated education and training, Job development, Job placement, Job readiness, Job search assistance, Mental health services, Occupational or sectoral training, Post-employment participant follow-up, Soft skills training, Subsidized employment/transitional jobs

Setting: Urban only

Study design

Design:

Randomized controlled trial

Study group formation:

The Roca PFS Pilot utilized a RCT research design to consider the impact of Roca services on recidivism and employment. Potential participants were referred to Roca by the Massachusetts Corrections System, and were then assesed for eligibility. Eligible participants were males age 17-24 living in Boston, Chelsea, and Springfield, MA aging out of Department of Youth services or on adult probation and with a high or medium risk assessment. In addition, participants could not have previously enrolled in the PFS pilot, previously enrolled in Roca services, have open felony charges, or have violent sexual offenses. Once individuals were screened for eligibility, participants were randomized individually for either the Roca services treatment or the business-as-usual control conditions. Analysis was also conducted at the individual level.

Time period of study:

The Roca PFS Pilot collected data between June 2014 - June 2016, with participants contibuitng between 6 months and 2.25 years of data.

Pathways only reports results from studies with a study quality rating of high or moderate.

Sample characteristics

Age

Young adults

100%

Sex

Male

100%

Specific employment barriers

Were involved with the justice system

100%

Intervention implementation

Implementing organization:

Roca, a non-profit organization, implemented the Roca PFS Pilot.

Intervention services:

The Roca Pay for Success Pilot Program (Roca PFS Pilot) supported youth and young adult men ages 17-24 who were on adult probation and aging out of foster care. The Roca PFS pilot intervention was an adaptation of existing Roca programs to support disadvantaged youth with a history of involvement in the criminal justice system. The Roca program involves 2 years of intensive services and two years of follow-up services. The program works to support behavior change by connecting participants with engaged youth workers, individualized employment services, transitional employment, job placement, and post-employment follow up.

Mandatory services:

None

Comparison services:

The control group was not referred to Roca for services.

Study publications

Kean, Eliza, Denna Schwartz, Bethany Boland, Maureen Sarna, and Karin Martinson (2020). Process study of the U.S. Department of Labor’s “Pay for Success” pilots in two states: Final report. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor. Available at: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/publications/ETAOP2022-24_Pay_for_Success_Report_FINAL.pdf

View the glossary for more information about these and other terms used on this page.

The Pathways Clearinghouse refers to interventions by the names used in study reports or manuscripts. Some intervention names may use language that is not consistent with our style guide, preferences, or the terminology we use to describe populations.

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Study of Roca Pay for Success Pilot Program

101015.01-Study of Roca Pay fo

Study design

Design:

Study group formation:

Time period of study:

Sample characteristics

Age

Sex

Specific employment barriers

Intervention implementation

Implementing organization:

Intervention services:

Mandatory services:

Comparison services:

Study publications