An examination of the relationship between prisoners' psychosocial characteristics and their perceived employability

This study aims to reveal the relationship between self-esteem, perceived employability, and social skills among individuals convicted due to criminal offenses. The research also seeks to analyze the impact of two key variables—the length of the sentence and the type of offense—on these psychosocial characteristics. The study group consists of 346 convicted individuals currently serving their sentences at the Antalya Type Y Closed Penal Institution, located in Antalya, Türkiye. Data were collected through three psychometrically validated measurement tools: the Perceived Future Employability Scale, the Self-Esteem Rating Scale (Short Form), and the Social Skills Inventory (Short Form). In addition to descriptive statistical methods, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent samples t-tests were employed to analyze the data. The findings indicate that levels of perceived employability, self-esteem, and social skills vary significantly based on sentence length and type of crime. The results of the study contribute to the identification of psychosocial factors that should be prioritized in the reintegration process of convicted individuals into social life.