PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Televerde, the first and only fully integrated sales and marketing technology organization with a proven execution model for generating demand and accelerating sales, today announced that Arizona State University’s Seidman Research Institute has released the findings of a study that reviewed the economic, social and fiscal impact of Televerde and the Arouet Foundation’s prison workforce development program on individuals, families, and the State of Arizona.
The results revealed that participants of Televerde’s prison workforce development program go on to attain employment, earnings, and education at higher rates and reoffend at significantly lower rates than other formerly incarcerated females in the United States. The study also highlighted the positive economic impact on the State of Arizona, showing that Televerde’s direct operations alone generated an estimated cumulative total of $238.2 million GDP and $196.1 million labor income in the Arizona economy between 2011 and 2018.
In addition to Arizona, Televerde’s reach currently includes Indiana. The company opened up its second engagement center in Indiana at the Madison Correctional facility in October 2019. The first opened at Rockville Correctional facility in 2015. Between both Indiana facilities, the company employs more than 125 female prisoners, with plans to ramp up employment this year. Televerde will also expand its model in 2020 with engagement centers in Florida and the United Kingdom.
“More than 600,000 women and men are released from federal and state prisons each year. These individuals are looking for a second chance but are being denied jobs and career opportunity because of their background and circumstance,” said Televerde CEO Morag Lucey. “This study validates our position that discarding someone for the worst mistake they made on the worst day of their life is a waste of human potential.”
The women in the Televerde prison workforce development program are extensively trained, becoming highly skilled in business acumen and the art of sales and marketing and certified in the most current technologies on the market. This level of knowledge and on-the-job experience enables them to optimize business value for our clients and secure highly competitive career positions upon release. Added Lucey, “Not only are we helping address the talent shortage and skills gap, the $13.3 million in annual cost savings for taxpayers and 5.4 percent recidivism rate are an added bonus that benefits everyone in the community.”
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The participants of Televerde’s prison workforce development program go on to attain employment, earnings, and education at higher rates and reoffend at lower rates than other formerly incarcerated females in the United States:
- Seidman finds that Televerde program participants attain employment after release at a rate of 44.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. national average for other released female prisoners.
- In addition, employed Televerde program participants report higher wages than other released female prisoners nationwide, amounting to an estimated $843.0 million cumulative post-release lifetime earnings benefit.
- Televerde program participants also report achieving higher levels of education after release from prison, despite holding a similar education level as the national population of female state prisoners at the time of incarceration.
- Finally, Televerde program participants reoffend at a rate 34.7 percentage points lower than the national average for other released female prisoners within 1 year, and 53.9 percentage points lower within 3 years.
Additional benefits exist for the families of Televerde program participants.
- Seidman’s findings suggest that dependent children of Televerde program participants are 11 times more likely to graduate high school than dependent children of other incarcerated mothers.
- Additionally, the adult children of Televerde program participants are 11 times less likely to be incarcerated compared to the adult children of other incarcerated mothers.
- Observed increases in employment and income among Televerde program participants after release may also reduce barriers to health care and encourage the development of good health behaviors in dependent children.
- Lastly, Televerde program participants indicate that their relationships with children, partners/spouses, and other family members improve as a result of their employment with the company.
The State of Arizona also benefits from the success of the Televerde prison workforce development program:
- As a result of reduced expenditure on the incarceration of reoffenders, the Televerde program has provided between $49.2 million and $76.4 million in cumulative cost savings to the state since 2011. This equates to an annual saving of $6.1 million to $9.5 million.
- Based on the Arizona Tax Year 2018 income brackets and contributions, the estimated 1,021 employed Televerde program participants may contribute an additional $26.9 million in personal income taxes over their post-release lifetime as a result of their increased earnings.
- Finally, an economic impact analysis of employment expenditure and supplier purchases demonstrates that Televerde’s direct operations alone generated an estimated cumulative total of $238.2 million GDP by State and $196.1 million labor income in the Arizona economy between 2011 and 2018.
SUPPORTING QUOTES
Tracy Eiler, Chief Marketing Officer at InsideView
“As a long-time Televerde client, the quality of work I’ve seen from the Televerde team is bar none. The depth of skills and knowledge that the women possess enable them to perform at higher levels, validating at every turn the massive benefits of outsourcing sales and marketing programs to the right partner to help achieve revenue goals. As the CMO of InsideView, I make it a point to regularly visit the Televerde engagement centers and have had the opportunity to see the women transform as a result of the prison workforce development program. It’s inspiring to work with a company that leads with purpose and is fully invested in empowering women to rebuild their lives as they re-enter society. ASU’s Seidman Research Institute study underscores the social and economic impact that Televerde delivers and I can attest to the business benefits, which means Televerde is a world-class example of business as a force for good.”
Dr. Anthony Evans, a Senior Researcher at the L. William Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State University
“Here at the Seidman Institute, our team is comprised of experienced academics, economists and marketers. We have done extensive research on a variety of program types throughout the southwest business community and Televerde’s prison workforce development program demonstrates significant benefits for participants, their families, and the state as a whole. The extensive training and skills-based learning that’s provided to the women within the engagement centers at the Arizona State Prison Complex - Perryville sets the women up for almost immediate success upon re-entry, thereby helping to lower future rates of recidivism and ultimately costs for the state.”
Dr. Kristie Rogers, Assistant Professor of Management at Marquette University
“Televerde was the focus of my research several years ago as I was working toward my PhD. What struck me most is the humanity and respect they’ve brought into their prison-run engagement centers. The women are unequivocally valued as capable, worthy human beings and also valued as business professionals who demonstrate an amazing ability to learn, think critically and contribute creatively and strategically to their clients’ campaigns. This level of respect in the workplace plays a big part in their success while incarcerated and their transformation leading up to release. The program Televerde has created is revolutionary and the company serves as an excellent model for other businesses.”
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Read the Seidman Research Institute Report here.
- Read how InsideView generated 3X pipeline in target accounts, in addition to higher customer retention.
- Read Kristie Rogers’s article published in the Harvard Business Review about Televerde’s culture of respect.
- View The History of Televerde.
The L. William Seidman Research Institute serves as a link between the local, national, and international business communities and the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University (ASU). First established in 1985 to serve as a center for applied business research alongside a consultancy resource for the Arizona business community, Seidman collects, analyzes and disseminates information about local economies, benchmarks industry practices, and identifies emerging business research issues that affect productivity and competitiveness.
About Televerde
Phoenix-based Televerde is the first and only fully integrated sales and marketing technology organization with a proven execution model for generating demand and accelerating sales. The company combines end-to-end sales and marketing solutions to drive engagement, pipeline and revenue for the world’s leading B2B companies including SAP, Adobe-Marketo and Pulse Secure. Since the company began in 1995, Televerde has generated $8B in revenue for its clients.
A purpose-built company, Televerde believes in second chance employment and strives to help disempowered people find their voice and reach their human potential. Seven of Televerde’s 10 engagement centers are staffed by incarcerated women, representing 70 percent of the company’s 600+ global workforce. As a participant of the UN Global Compact, Televerde is committed to aligning strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption, and take actions that advance societal goals. For more information visit http://www.televerde.com or call 888-925-7526.
About Arouet
Arouet, founded in 2011, takes a comprehensive and holistic approach to helping women pre-release from prison by emphasizing health, wellness, community, education and career connections. Upon release from prison, the Arouet Foundation continues to work with the women by providing ongoing life-skills classes, educational opportunities and scholarships, and career assistance. A 501c3 nonprofit organization, Arouet is closely partnered with Global Sales and Marketing Solutions Provider Televerde, an Arizona Department of Corrections workforce development partner. For more information, please visit: https://arouetfoundation.org.
Televerde is a registered trademark of Televerde, Inc. All other trademarks belong to their respective companies.