Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO) equips court-involved youth in New York City with the support and resources needed to successfully transition from incarceration to employment and stability. The program focuses not only on reducing recidivism but on improving post-incarceration outcomes in education and work. GOSO engages participants during incarceration, primarily those held on Rikers Island or in upstate facilities, and continues support through reentry and community reintegration. Most participants join GOSO’s East Harlem program after release, where they receive counseling, wraparound services, and help completing education, job training, and securing employment.
One of GOSO’s signature initiatives, GOSOWorks, partners with approximately 100 employers across New York City to provide paid internship-to-employment opportunities for justice-involved young adults. Participants complete intensive career readiness training tailored to their individual needs and work experience before being matched with employer partners. GOSO subsidizes participants’ wages during the first 240 hours of employment while providing ongoing coaching to both participants and employers to support successful transitions into permanent employment. Since its founding, GOSO has served more than 15,000 justice-involved young people. Fewer than 7% of GOSO participants return to jail — compared with a national recidivism rate of approximately 54% for the same age group. Since the launch of GOSOWorks in 2013, the program has placed more than 800 participants into jobs, and approximately 70% of interns are hired into employment within six months of completing their internship.