Blessings and Curses: The Impact of the North Dakota Oil Boom on Offender Reentry and Reintegration into the Community

ABSTRACT The current study utilized a natural experiment, an oil boom in North Dakota, to examine changes in offender reentry and recidivism outcomes. The quantitative study compared a sample of male offenders released from prisons within one state prior to the oil boom to a sample of male offenders released during the highest peak of the boom. Comparisons were made on variables known in the literature to be predictive of recidivism during the reentry process; these include risk, education, employment, housing, substance abuse, and treatment. Findings show the oil boom had a negative impact on offender reentry. Offenders released from prison during the height of the oil boom were more likely to recidivate than offenders released prior to the oil boom.