Financial Training for Exonerees Awaiting Compensation: A Case Study

Abstract

A modified version of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Money Smart financial training program was provided for 14 exonerees in an urban Texas setting, in preparation for receiving their compensation awards relating to their wrongful convictions. Researchers sought to investigate the usefulness of the modified program in assisting in the financial literacy of exonerees transitioning to society postrelease. This case study provides an overview of the observations of the process, and implications for future trainings and practice with this population. Overall, the exonerees in this case study benefited from the program. However, exonerees expressed unique concerns about family issues, budgeting, spending habits, credit, taxes, retirement, exploitation, and the media. The observations made throughout this process are relevant to the criminal justice field since Texas has adopted a policy whereby the Department of Criminal Justice provides initial postrelease case management and oversight of initial compensation funds.

KEYWORDS:

• community-based rehabilitation
• criminal justice project
• principles of effective intervention
• reentry
• rehabilitation

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank the Hogg Foundation for their grant assistance with Texas Exoneree Project and Illya Ignatenko for his considerable time in organizing and providing the financial training for the exonerees. The author acknowledges the research assistance of graduate students Benjamin Gant and Kelsey Lyons, and the editing assistance of Amy Dennis, MSSW and Suk-Young Kang, PhD.

Notes

Source: www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/ (2010).