Unchained
devs_
We are a group of software engineers helping aspiring developers who are either formerly incarcerated or from an economically disadvantaged background. We are creating opportunities in tech for people who might not otherwise get an opportunity.
leave your chains
Recidivism
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), 67.8% of released state prisoners were arrested for a new crime within three years, and 76.7% were arrested within five. Reducing recidivism not only protects society at large, but also improves the life quality of individual ex-prisoners.
Incarceration rates in the U.S. began increasing dramatically in the 1990s. The U.S. has the highest prison population of any country, comprising 25% of the world’s prisoners.
Out of a sample of 401,288 prisoners state prisoners released in 2005:
- 68% of released prisoners were arrested within 3 years.
- 79% of released prisoners were arrested within 6 years.
- 83% of released prisoners were arrested within 9 years.
recidivism and reentry on prisonpolicy.org recidivism the ultimate guide on prisoninsight.com
Related and Poverty
Employment has long been recognized as having a negative correlation with crime (Uggen, 1999; Uggen et al., 2005).
employment recidivism on ebpsociety.org
Researchers also have found that employment is associated with reduced recidivism(Skardhamar & Telle, 2012). The strongest predictor for recidivism: poverty + unemployment.
poverty state capital and recidivism among women offenders on ojp.gov.
What is a Mentee?
Our mentees are aspiring software engineers from either disadvantaged backgrounds or are formerly incarcerated. They are ambitious and determined people learning the ins-and-outs of the software industry in order to land full time offers.
What is a Mentor?
Our mentors are industry experts. They are experienced software engineers from all over the industry who are committed to guiding the Underdog Devs. They have bi-weekly meetings with their mentees where they offer support in the form of encouragement, interview prep, resume analysis, and coding practice. The mentors develop relationships with the potential for referrals as their mentee develops and becomes job ready.