Brehmer, C.E.; & Rumrill, P.D. (2026). Providing Effective Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Individuals with Disabilities with Criminal Backgrounds: A Justice-Involved Toolkit. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 64 (2), 155-159.

Providing Effective Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Individuals with Disabilities with Criminal Backgrounds: A Justice-Involved Toolkit

Brehmer, C.E.; & Rumrill, P.D.

2026

Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

Sage Journals

https://doi.org/10.1177/10522263251413172

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10522263251413172?_gl...   

Yes

No

There is disproportionate representation of individuals with disabilities involved in the criminal justice system. Individuals with disabilities that have experienced incarceration present unique needs to navigating the vocational rehabilitation process. Through the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE), a learning community was formed to create a toolkit addressing these needs. Using a person-centered lens, this toolkit provides practical tips, tools, and resources for addressing effective services of justice-impacted individuals with disabilities.

Combining involvement in the criminal justice system with a significant disability creates a more-than-additive effect on a person's prospects for quality employment. VR services are well suited to address the needs of consumers who have justice system involvement, and evidence-supported technical assistance and information are available. By understanding the complex interaction of disability and justice system involvement and person-centered strategies for addressing this interaction in VR service delivery, rehabilitation professionals can meet the needs of an emerging and highly stigmatized clientele – a clientele who, in spite of significant disadvantages, stands as a valuable labor resource with many contributions to make to their individual communities as well as the national economy.