Identity first
A durable work plan has to fit the person someone is becoming.
cat methodology.txt
The claims have
receipts.
The Forge is built from 150+ peer-reviewed citations. This page shows the six research traditions underneath the system and what each one changes in practice.
You do not need to read the research before using the tools. This index is here for practitioners, partners, funders, and anyone who wants to inspect the claims.
A steel proof stamp and measurement gauge
01 / RESEARCH INDEX
SIX WORKSTREAMS
The summaries stay visible. Open a workstream only when you want the findings underneath it.
01Desistance Theory
Maruna, Giordano, Sampson, and Laub show that successful reentry requires a new narrative identity, not only changed behavior. The Forge's readiness and narrative work is built on this literature.
What the evidence says
- 01Desistance requires a coherent redemption script connecting past, present, and future self.
- 02Four cognitive transformations predict change: openness, a hook for change, a replacement self, and rejection of old patterns.
- 03Employment and other social bonds can become practical mechanisms for long-term desistance.
02Narrative Psychology
McAdams, Maruna, Ramsden, Pennebaker, and Seagal show that personal narrative is how people organize experience and identity. The Forge translates that process into a professional story.
What the evidence says
- 01The stories people tell about themselves shape identity and motivation.
- 02Redemption narratives can turn a damaging sequence into a coherent account of growth.
- 03Writing about one's experience can produce measurable cognitive reorganization.
03Motivational Science
Self-Determination Theory and the stages-of-change model shape The Forge's readiness approach. Advice is matched to what a person is actually prepared to do next.
What the evidence says
- 01Motivation tied to personal values lasts longer than motivation based only on external pressure.
- 02Interventions matched to a person’s readiness stage outperform mismatched interventions.
- 03Autonomy-supportive career counseling improves persistence and job satisfaction.
04Labor-Market Realities
The Forge treats criminal-record bias and structural barriers as documented conditions, not attitude problems. Recommendations are built around the labor market that actually exists.
What the evidence says
- 01Criminal records substantially reduce employer callback rates.
- 02Race and record can interact to create compounding disadvantage.
- 03Many employers report equal or better performance and retention from workers with records.
05Fair-Chance Hiring
Employer and job recommendations use documented fair-chance behavior. The Refinery's job and resource tools are designed around law, policy, and real hiring practice.
What the evidence says
- 01Ban-the-box and fair-chance rules now cover many states and localities.
- 02Policy can reduce conviction-based discrimination while creating other unintended effects.
- 03Institutional contacts and weak ties are often especially valuable for finding work.
06AI Governance
Steel Man logs AI decisions and gives users human-readable explanations. The goal is accountable assistance in a context where an unexamined output can cause real harm.
What the evidence says
- 01AI outputs are logged with model and decision context for audit.
- 02Users receive an explanation instead of an unexplained recommendation.
- 03The platform refuses to fabricate history or write a criminal-history disclosure for the user.
- 04Users can export or delete their data.
02 / PRACTICE
WHAT THE RESEARCH CHANGES
Steel Man does not treat job placement as the whole outcome.
Advice by readiness
The next step must match what a person is prepared to do today.
Reality included
Records, bias, transportation, housing, and policy are treated as real constraints.