Sustainable employment of prisoners is a new approach to the production boom

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Isfahan (khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University

2 Assistant Professor in Criminal Law and Criminology , Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan, Isfahan, Iran

3 Associate Professor of Crime and Criminology Group, Department of Humanities and Law, Islamic Azad University Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Employment and the pursuit of initiatives to bolster national production have recently gained prominence 
in Iran, reflecting a strategic priority aimed at improving the country’s economic landscape. Recognized as 
a major project within the framework of the Judiciary Transformation Document, this initiative is managed 
by the Prisons Organization and the Department of Educational and Protective Measures, which acts as the 
implementing body. This research endeavors to explore the benefits of investing in the enhancement and 
promotion of prisoners' employment, emphasizing innovative approaches to managing their job 
opportunities as key human resources under governmental oversight. Using a descriptive-analytical 
methodology, the study synthesizes information derived from documents, books, articles, and online 
sources. Additionally, the research examines the employment policies of the prison organization and, where 
appropriate, incorporates interviews with stakeholders involved in this domain to enrich the data collection 
process, thereby enhancing the comprehensiveness and robustness of the study. Beyond reducing 
recidivism, career development for inmates presents a viable strategy for creating employment 
opportunities and elevating national productivity in both qualitative and quantitative terms. Effective 
planning and management of prisoners’ employment—aimed at ensuring continuity of work—are vital for 
guiding inmates toward stable, lawful employment in the society. The implementation of short-term, 
medium-term, and long-term strategies and policies is deemed essential for finding an efficient policy and 
fostering job stability among prisoners. From an economic perspective, establishing dedicated centers for 
managing employment opportunities and creating job search platforms for inmates are significant steps 
toward increasing production capacity. To advance employment development and improve vocational 
training systems within the prison sector, particularly under the medium-term goals outlined in the Judiciary 
Transformation Program, it is critical to design a clear and precise plan aligned with national production 
objectives. Country's production is supported by four fundamental pillars: political economy, investment, 
currency, and human and social capital. Production is shaped based on the factors of production in any 
economy. Notably, human and social capital is paramount for production and its sustainability; without 
them, production efforts risk fundamental instability. Despite the existence of laws governing employment, 
entrepreneurship, and production enhancement, Iran faces fragmentation and overlapping legal 
frameworks, resulting in inconsistencies and implementation challenges in achieving production promotion 
and economic improvement. Stakeholders involved in prisoner employment are often unaware of existing 
How to Cite: Teimouri, Fattaheh, Ashrafi, Mahmoud, Heidari, Masoud, "Stable Employment of Prisoners, 
New Approach in Production Boom", Legal Research, Vol. 28, No. 110, 2025, pp:201-220.
legal tools that could facilitate the advancement of employment and production goals within the correctional 
system. Future research should focus on identifying skills and productive jobs aligned with prisoners’ 
individual profiles, leveraging collected data—possibly enhanced by artificial intelligence—to determine 
suitable career paths and optimal employment opportunities. Information integrity leading to a sustainable 
employment and strategic oversight in prisoner's job search profile requires measures to control prisoner's 
situation. Developing an integrated information management system (SAMAJM) for prisoner employment 
is proposed to facilitate cohesive management of prisoners' employment, personalize job placement, 
coaching career development, attract entrepreneurs and investors, and promote local employment as well 
as prisoners empowerment that aligns with cultural and geographic contexts. Such a system would operate 
under the supervision of the Job Opportunity Management Center, which would also be responsible for 
forecasting and proposing sustainable job opportunities for inmates. Innovative concepts like Career 
Coaching—an emerging discipline within coaching sciences—aim to foster collaboration between the 
coach and the client (here: the prisoner), encouraging inmates to realize their full potential through 
stimulating cognitive and creative capacities. Additionally, implementing an electronic employment record 
within the Prisoners’ Employment System can streamline the collection of identity data, employment 
history, physical and psychological assessments, and talent identification from the moment of detention, 
guiding inmates along customized career pathways while motivating lawful income generation. 
Crowdfunding presents another effective mechanism, facilitating access to a broad network of investors via 
social and specialized platforms. This approach can financially support prisoners’ entrepreneurial 
initiatives, leveraging technological entrepreneurship to produce employment for prisoners to boost 
production and economic development. Integrating such innovations into dedicated modules within 
existing software platforms like SAMAJM is appropriate. Ultimately, this study aims to provide 
comprehensive job prospects for prisoners upon release, improve working conditions, ensure sustainable 
employment, and foster a production-oriented approach—harmonizing legal frameworks to promote this 
segment of society's business situation.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

References
Books
1. Bolk, Bernard, Criminology, Translated by: Ali Hossein Najafi Abrand-Abadi, 5th Edition,
Tehran: Majd, 2006. (in Persian)
2. Caroline Talbot, Essential Skills for Career Coaching, Translated by: Mahboubeh Mazaheri,
Tehran: Diamond of Knowledge, 2019. (in Persian)
3. Ebrahimi, Shahram, The Implementation of the United Nations Minimum Rules on the Treatment
of Prisoners in Domestic Law, in: An Introduction to Criminology of Convicts, Edited by: Abbas
Shiri, Tehran: Mizan, 2018. (in Persian)
4. Hamzeh’ei, Alireza and Maryam Mo’eini, Unemployment Challenges and Job Creation Policies,
Tehran: Thought board, 2018. (in Persian)
اشتغال پایدار زندانیان، رویکردی جدید در رونق تولید تیموری و همکاران
218
5. Hassani, Mehdi and Ebrahim Nik A’ein, Local Guide for Employment and Entrepreneurship of
Drug Rehabilitation Recoverees, Tehran: Tavan Gostar, 2019. (in Persian)
6. International Center for the Reform of Criminal Laws and Criminal Policy, Human Rights-Based
Imprisonment, Translated by: Hassan Toghrangar, Tehran: The way of Training, 2004. (in Persian)
7. Ja’fari, Mohammad and Sajad Barkhordari, Requirements for Production Boom with a Focus on
Supports and Obstacles Removal, Tehran: Economic Management Research Institute, 2021. (in
Persian)
8. Jürg Albrecht, Hans, Criminology: General Principles and Responsiveness to Crime, Translated
by: Hossein Gholami, Third Edition, Tehran: Mizan, 2020. (in Persian).
9. Mehra, Nasrin and Sahar Soheil Moghadam, The Impact of Privatization on Criminal Population
Management, in the Collection of Selected Papers of the National Conference on Criminal
Population Management; Procedural Theory, Tehran: Mizan, 2020. (in Persian)
10. Morris, Norval and David Rothman, The History of Prisons: The Penal System in Western Society,
Translated by: Partow Eshragh, Tehran: Nahid, 2011. (in Persian)
11. Nahavandi, Maryam, An Introduction to Work and Occupation (Definitions and Concepts),
Tehran: Light of knowledge, First Edition, 2014. (in Persian)
12. Nazari, Mohammad Reza, Employment and Entrepreneurship Skills, Tehran: Barayand Pooysh
Publishing House, 2017 . (in Persian)
13. Nouri, Ali, Samavat: Non-Governmental Organizations for Education and Employment of People
with Disabilities, Tehran: Tavanmandan, 2017. (in Persian)
14. Qajar, Mohammad; Mohammad Reza Karim Pour and Mehrdad Farajollahi, Domestic Production
Boom and National Economic Development, Tehran: Hooshmand Tadbir, 2019. (in Persian)
15. Rahimi Mozaffari, Abdolali, Production Boom through Supporting Iranian Goods, Shiraz:
Naderian, 2019. (in Persian)
16. Safari, Ali, Criminology: Developments in the Foundations and Execution of Deprivation of
Liberty Punishment, Tehran: Jungle, 15th Edition, 2011. (in Persian)
17. Shakeri, Sayyed Hossein, Compilation of Regulations Related to Prison and Prisoners, Tehran:
Majd, 2021. (in Persian)
18. Zar’ei, Ali, New Job Opportunities in the Third Millennium, Tehran: Dibagaran of Tehran, 2017.
(in Persian)
Articles
19. Annelies Goger, David J. Harding and Howard Henderson, “Rethinking Prisoner Reentry”,
Volume 20, Issue 4, Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2021/04/BetterPath-Forward_Brookings-AEI-report.pdf
20. Broadus Joseph, Ravett Sara Muller, “Lessons from the Replication of the Center for Employment
Opportunities”, 2016.
21. Ebrahimi, Shahram, “Fair Rehabilitation of Offenders”, Journal of Criminal Law Teaching,
Volume 9, Issue 3, 2012, PP 151-176. (in Persian)
22. Erin Jacobs Valentine, Cindy Redcross, “Transitional Jobs after Release from Prison: Effects on
Employment and Recidivism”, IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Volume 4, Issu 1, 2015. PP 1-17.
23. Kerry L. Edwards. “Male Offenders ‘Work Experiences Preprison, In-Prison and Upon Reentry’:
Interactions between Work and Crime”, University of New Mexico Cornell Law School, 2011, PP
1-317.
24. Klinker Lockwood, Susan and John M. Nally. “Racial Disparities and Similarities in Post-Release
Recidivism and Employment”, Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2015,
PP 16-31.
25. Teymouri, Fattaheh; Mahmood Ashrafi and Mas’oud Heidari, “Reduction of Prison Population in
the Light of Transitional Occupations and Subsidized Employment”, Legal Research Quarterly,
Volume 27, Issue 1, 2021, PP 263-279. (in Persian)
Thesis
26. Habib Parvin, Karim, “A Comparative Study of Electronic Monitoring in Iranian and English
Criminal Law”, PhD Thesis, University of Justice, 2018. (in Persian)
27. Mehrkam, Melika, “A Model for Analyzing the Role of Information and Communication
Technology in the Growth of Iran’s Gross Domestic Product with a System Dynamics Approach”,
PhD Thesis, Allameh Tabatabaei University, 2021. (in Persian)
TextBook
28. Najafi Abrand-Abadi, Ali Hossein, “Reports from Public Criminal Law II Course (Alternatives to
Imprisonment)”, Criminal Law and Criminology Textbook, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti
University, 2000. (in Persian)
Electronic Sources
29. Meschi, Ali, “Introduction to the Coaching Process from A to Z”. Available at:
https://alimeschi.com/what-is-coaching/ (in Persian)
30. Safae’i, Hamed, “Report on the Specialized Meeting on Strategies for Reducing the Prison
Population in France” Shiraz University, 2021. Available at: http://www.lawtest.ir/ (in Persian
Books
1. Bolk, Bernard, Criminology, Translated by: Ali Hossein Najafi Abrand-Abadi, 5th Edition,
Tehran: Majd, 2006. (in Persian)
2. Caroline Talbot, Essential Skills for Career Coaching, Translated by: Mahboubeh Mazaheri,
Tehran: Diamond of Knowledge, 2019. (in Persian)
3. Ebrahimi, Shahram, The Implementation of the United Nations Minimum Rules on the Treatment
of Prisoners in Domestic Law, in: An Introduction to Criminology of Convicts, Edited by: Abbas
Shiri, Tehran: Mizan, 2018. (in Persian)
4. Hamzeh’ei, Alireza and Maryam Mo’eini, Unemployment Challenges and Job Creation Policies,
Tehran: Thought board, 2018. (in Persian)
اشتغال پایدار زندانیان، رویکردی جدید در رونق تولید تیموری و همکاران
218
5. Hassani, Mehdi and Ebrahim Nik A’ein, Local Guide for Employment and Entrepreneurship of
Drug Rehabilitation Recoverees, Tehran: Tavan Gostar, 2019. (in Persian)
6. International Center for the Reform of Criminal Laws and Criminal Policy, Human Rights-Based
Imprisonment, Translated by: Hassan Toghrangar, Tehran: The way of Training, 2004. (in Persian)
7. Ja’fari, Mohammad and Sajad Barkhordari, Requirements for Production Boom with a Focus on
Supports and Obstacles Removal, Tehran: Economic Management Research Institute, 2021. (in
Persian)
8. Jürg Albrecht, Hans, Criminology: General Principles and Responsiveness to Crime, Translated
by: Hossein Gholami, Third Edition, Tehran: Mizan, 2020. (in Persian).
9. Mehra, Nasrin and Sahar Soheil Moghadam, The Impact of Privatization on Criminal Population
Management, in the Collection of Selected Papers of the National Conference on Criminal
Population Management; Procedural Theory, Tehran: Mizan, 2020. (in Persian)
10. Morris, Norval and David Rothman, The History of Prisons: The Penal System in Western Society,
Translated by: Partow Eshragh, Tehran: Nahid, 2011. (in Persian)
11. Nahavandi, Maryam, An Introduction to Work and Occupation (Definitions and Concepts),
Tehran: Light of knowledge, First Edition, 2014. (in Persian)
12. Nazari, Mohammad Reza, Employment and Entrepreneurship Skills, Tehran: Barayand Pooysh
Publishing House, 2017 . (in Persian)
13. Nouri, Ali, Samavat: Non-Governmental Organizations for Education and Employment of People
with Disabilities, Tehran: Tavanmandan, 2017. (in Persian)
14. Qajar, Mohammad; Mohammad Reza Karim Pour and Mehrdad Farajollahi, Domestic Production
Boom and National Economic Development, Tehran: Hooshmand Tadbir, 2019. (in Persian)
15. Rahimi Mozaffari, Abdolali, Production Boom through Supporting Iranian Goods, Shiraz:
Naderian, 2019. (in Persian)
16. Safari, Ali, Criminology: Developments in the Foundations and Execution of Deprivation of
Liberty Punishment, Tehran: Jungle, 15th Edition, 2011. (in Persian)
17. Shakeri, Sayyed Hossein, Compilation of Regulations Related to Prison and Prisoners, Tehran:
Majd, 2021. (in Persian)
18. Zar’ei, Ali, New Job Opportunities in the Third Millennium, Tehran: Dibagaran of Tehran, 2017.
(in Persian)
Articles
19. Annelies Goger, David J. Harding and Howard Henderson, “Rethinking Prisoner Reentry”,
Volume 20, Issue 4, Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2021/04/BetterPath-Forward_Brookings-AEI-report.pdf
20. Broadus Joseph, Ravett Sara Muller, “Lessons from the Replication of the Center for Employment
Opportunities”, 2016.
21. Ebrahimi, Shahram, “Fair Rehabilitation of Offenders”, Journal of Criminal Law Teaching,
Volume 9, Issue 3, 2012, PP 151-176. (in Persian)
22. Erin Jacobs Valentine, Cindy Redcross, “Transitional Jobs after Release from Prison: Effects on
Employment and Recidivism”, IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Volume 4, Issu 1, 2015. PP 1-17.
23. Kerry L. Edwards. “Male Offenders ‘Work Experiences Preprison, In-Prison and Upon Reentry’:
Interactions between Work and Crime”, University of New Mexico Cornell Law School, 2011, PP
1-317.
24. Klinker Lockwood, Susan and John M. Nally. “Racial Disparities and Similarities in Post-Release
Recidivism and Employment”, Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2015,
PP 16-31.
25. Teymouri, Fattaheh; Mahmood Ashrafi and Mas’oud Heidari, “Reduction of Prison Population in
the Light of Transitional Occupations and Subsidized Employment”, Legal Research Quarterly,
Volume 27, Issue 1, 2021, PP 263-279. (in Persian)
26. Habib Parvin, Karim, “A Comparative Study of Electronic Monitoring in Iranian and English
Criminal Law”, PhD Thesis, University of Justice, 2018. (in Persian)
27. Mehrkam, Melika, “A Model for Analyzing the Role of Information and Communication
Technology in the Growth of Iran’s Gross Domestic Product with a System Dynamics Approach”,
PhD Thesis, Allameh Tabatabaei University, 2021. (in Persian)
TextBook
28. Najafi Abrand-Abadi, Ali Hossein, “Reports from Public Criminal Law II Course (Alternatives to
Imprisonment)”, Criminal Law and Criminology Textbook, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti
University, 2000. (in Persian)
Electronic Sources
29. Meschi, Ali, “Introduction to the Coaching Process from A to Z”. Available at:
https://alimeschi.com/what-is-coaching/ (in Persian)
30. Safae’i, Hamed, “Report on the Specialized Meeting on Strategies for Reducing the Prison
Population in France” Shiraz University, 2021. Available at: http://www.lawtest.ir/ (in Persian

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History

  • Receive Date: 03 September 2022
  • Revise Date: 29 December 2024
  • Accept Date: 04 January 2025

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