Evaluation of the Jail-Based Job Center (JBJC) Pilot Program at Pitchess Detention Center-South Facility

Research has shown that obtaining quality employment post-release is directly related to lower risk of recidivism, yet many people leaving jail do not have the resources or skills to locate and secure employment. To that end, the Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS), in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), Los Angeles County Probation Department, Los Angeles County Department of Human Resources, Los Angeles County America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC), and Los Angeles Countywide Criminal Justice Coordination Council, established the Jail-Based Job Center (JBJC) pilot program at Pitchess Detention Center, South Facility (Pitchess). This report summarizes Harder+Company’s evaluation of the JBJC Pitchess Pilot Program and offers recommendations for future jail-based programs in Los Angeles County that seek to support employment readiness and career pathways post-release.