Prisoner Reentry: Coming to a Community Near You

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Prisoner Reentry Coming to a Community Near
You
National Crime Prevention Council 2007
2
The Goal of This Presentation

• To inform citizens about the impact that reentry
  of ex-offenders has on their communities and
  present them with information on available
  strategies, resources, and effective community
  responses

3
Objectives

• Participants will
• Examine the issue of ex-offender reentry in the
  United States
• Identify practices and programs that work to
  reduce ex-offender recidivism
• Look at ways to reduce crime through focused
  activities on ex-offender reentry
• Look at resources that could aid reentry and be
  replicated in other communities across the country

4
Reentry A Definition

• Reentry (n.)
• A broad term that refers to the issues related
  to the transition of
• ex-offenders from incarceration to community.

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Reentry A Definition (continued)

• Reentry specifically involves using programs
  that promote the effective reintegration of
  ex-offenders into communities when they are
  released from prison and jail.

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Reentry by the Numbers
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According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,
2006

• In the past 30 years, the U.S. prison population
  grew from 190,000 to 2.2 million.
• By June 30, 2006, the number of inmates in the
  custody of state and federal prisons and local
  jails reached 2,245,189.

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The Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006 (continued)

• During the calendar year 2005, 698,459
  individuals were released from prison.
• Jail officials reported that during the period
  from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, there were
  60,222 ex-offenders in alternative programs being
  supervised outside jail facilities.

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The Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005

• Probation
• The adult probation population grew 0.5 percent
  in 2005, an increase of 19,070 probationers.
• Parole
• The nations parole population grew 1.6 percent,
  an increase of 12,556 parolees.
• Mandatory releases from prison as a result of a
  sentencing statute or good-time provision
  comprised 51 percent of those entering parole in
  2005.

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The Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005 (continued)

• The number of adult men and women in the United
  States who were being supervised on probation or
  parole at the end of 2006 reached 4,946,944.
• Thats nearly 5 million individuals.

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How are communities affected by reentry?
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Initial Impact of Reentry on Ex-Offenders

• Outside world is chaotic and stressful
• Initial experiences can be disappointing and
  ex-offenders may take impulsive actions that
  derail their progress.
• The longer the time they spent in prison, the
  worse their disorientation will be.

Source John Irwin (2005) The Warehouse Prison
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Adjustments After Prison

• Many of released prisoners return to prison.
• A few released prisoners make it and do well.
• Most parolees fall into a life of dependency.
• Many cross back and forth, outside and inside the
  law and the parole rules.
• Many parolees fail to achieve minimum stability,
  even in dependent situations.

Source John Irwin (2005) The Warehouse Prison
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Quote

• I think the goal of everyone involved in the
  reentry processthe individual prisoner, his
  family, his community, and the agencies of
  governmentshould be to improve the chances of
  successful reintegration for each returning
  prisoner. This means re-establishing (or, as the
  case may be, establishing) positive connections
  between the returning prisoner and his family,
  the world of work, and the institutions of
  community.
• Jeremy Travis, John Jay College of Criminal
  Justice

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Prisoner Reentry in One Baltimore Community
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ReentryChallengesHousingPublic
SafetyEmploymentHealthFamilies
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Challenges to Reentry

• Family relationships, if not already problematic,
  are often weakened by incarceration.
• Convicted felons have difficulty finding
  employment and this can be aggravated by prison
  experiences.
• Ex-prisoners often have a lower rate of literacy
  than individuals in the general population.
• Unmet health and mental health needs
• Housing issues
• Collateral barriers related to civic participation

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What Does Your Jurisdiction Do?

• Are criminal records made publicly available?
• Are there legal restrictions related to certain
  careers?
• Are there restrictions on hiring, bonding, and
  licensing ex-prisoners?
• Do employers have access to criminal records?
• Are there restrictions on public assistance and
  welfare?
• Are there restrictions on public housing or
  rentals?
• Are there restrictions on parental rights?

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Housing Challenges
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Housing Challenges

• In the last 20 years, the number of people who
  are homeless has swelled from more than 440,000
  to 840,000 nationwide.
• Ten to 20 percent of those released from prison
  or jail were homeless before incarceration.
• Source The Re-entry Policy Council

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Housing Challenges (continued)

• Programs that help ex-offenders find housing
  often face the same challenges.
• Finding affordable rental housing
• Maximizing the use of existing housing resources
• Identifying and eliminating the barrier or stigma
  of ex-offenders in order to receive housing

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Most Ex-offenders Return to Just a Few
Neighborhoods
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Public Safety Challenges
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Public Safety Challenges

• Many returning prisoners have extensive criminal
  histories.
• A substantial number of released prisoners are
  reconvicted or rearrested for new crimes, many
  within the first year after release.
• Those with substance abuse histories and those
  who engage in substance abuse after release are
  at high risk for recidivism.

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Public Safety Challenges(continued)

• Two of three people released from state prison
  are rearrested within three years.
• American taxpayers went from spending
  approximately 9 billion per year on corrections
  in 1982 to 60 billion in 2002.
• Although investment in corrections has greatly
  increased, recidivism rates have remained
  virtually unchanged over the past 30 years.
• Source The Re-entry Policy Council

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Employment Challenges
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Employment Challenges

• While prisoners believe that having a job is an
  important factor in staying out of prison, few
  have a job lined up after release.
• Few prisoners receive employment-related training
  in prison.
• Participation in work-release jobs in prison may
  have a positive impact on the likelihood of
  finding full-time employment after release.

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Employment Challenges Incarceration

• Dissuades employers from hiring someone with a
  criminal history
• Disqualifies some ex-offenders for specific
  occupations that require ongoing training and
  education
• Makes it difficult to keep skills up-to-date
• Limits work experience
• Abets behaviors that may be unacceptable in the
  workplace
• Source www.vera.org

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Employment Challenges(continued)

• Prisoners who do find work after release may not
  have full-time or consistent employment.
• Lack of transportation is a significant barrier
  to employment.

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Health Challenges
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Health Challenges

• A substantial number of prisoners have been
  diagnosed with a physical or mental health
  condition.
• More prisoners report being diagnosed with a
  medical condition than report receiving
  medication or treatment for their condition while
  incarcerated.

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Health Challenges (continued)

• Securing health care is a major concern for many
  released prisoners.
• The vast majority of returning prisoners do not
  have any form of medical insurance.

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Substance Abuse and Reentry

• A majority of prisoners have extensive substance
  abuse histories.
• Prisoners identify drug abuse as the primary
  cause of many of their past and current problems.
  

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Substance Abuse and Reentry(continued)

• Consensus in the field holds that individualized
  in-prison treatment, in concert with
  community-based aftercare, can reduce substance
  use and dependency.
• Ex-offenders with a history of substance use and
  those who engage in substance use after release
  are at high risk to recidivate.

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FamilyChallenges
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Family Challenges

• Most prisoners believe that family support is an
  important factor in helping them stay out of
  prison.
• While most prisoners have some regular contact
  with family members during their prison term,
  relatively few receive family visits.
• More than seven million children under the age of
  18 (approximately 10 percent of the U.S.
  population) have a parent in state or federal
  prison, jail, on probation or parole, or
  reentering society after a period of imprisonment.

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Family Challenges (continued)

• A parents incarceration can have mixed effects
  on a child.
• One of the greatest challenges of keeping
  families connected is the distance between home
  and prison.

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What Really Works To Help Ex-offenders and
Ultimately To Reduce Crime
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Seven Domain Areas

• 1. Employmentwork, training, vocation, education
• 2. Family/maritalsupport from family
• 3. Associates/social interactionpositive
  interaction with noncriminal associates
• 4. Substance abuseintensive, outpatient, AA/NA,
  sponsor

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Seven Domain Areas(continued)

• 5. Adjusting to a new environmenthome,
  budgeting, social services, leisure, health
• 6. Personal/emotionalmental health, coping
  skills, decision-making
• 7. Attitudes and beliefsreligion, law-abiding
  behavior

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The Prisoner Reentry Initiativeand Promising
Programs
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Three Phases

• Phase 1 Protect and prepare
• Phase 2 Control and restore
• Phase 3 Sustain and support
• www.reentry.gov

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Phase 1Protect and Prepare

• Institution-based programs
• Designed to prepare ex-offenders to reenter
  society
• Services include education, mental health and
  substance abuse treatment, job training,
  mentoring, and full diagnostic and risk
  assessment

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Phase 2Control and Restore

• Community-based transition programs
• Work with ex-offenders before and immediately
  following their release from correctional
  institutions
• Services include education, monitoring,
  mentoring, life-skills training, assessment,
  job-skills development, and mental health and
  substance abuse treatment

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Phase 3Sustain and Support

• Community-based long-term support programs
• Connect individuals who have left the supervision
  of the justice system to a network of social
  services agencies and community-based
  organizations
• Ex-offenders receive ongoing services and
  mentoring relationships

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Program Examples for Phase 1Protect and Prepare
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Richland County Reentry CourtRichland County,
Ohio

• Richland County Reentry Court Dave
  Leitenberger, CPO/Program Director50 Park Avenue
  EastMansfield, OH 44902419-774-5564419-774-6365
  (fax)

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Richland County Reentry Court

• Americas first and largest reentry court.
• To date, 575 clients have participated in this
  reentry program.
• Of the first 213 clients from 2000 to 2003,
• 124 clients graduated from the program
• Nine (4 percent) were terminated having been
  charged with a felony offense within their first
  year

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Richland County Reentry Court(continued)

• Focuses on the management of criminal
  ex-offenders with court oversight through the
  various stages of the criminal justice system
• Arrest to conviction
• Sentencing
• Incarceration to release
• Supervision to termination

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East of the River Clergy Police Community
Partnership (ERCPCP)

• Faith-based Transitional Housing Program
• Donald Isaac
• Executive Director
• Main Office4105 First Street, SEWashington, DC
  20032202-373-5767 202-373-5769 fax

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East of the River Clergy Police (continued)

• Provide supportive housing to previously
• incarcerated individuals

•  
• Work with government,
• financial entities, faith-based
• institutions, and corporations
• to secure transitional and
• independent housing for
• eligible reentrants
•  

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East of the River Clergy Police (continued)

• Partners
• Federal Bureau of Prisons
• Faithworks
• Enterprise Foundation
• Bank of America
• United Bank
• Faith-based community

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The Dangerous Mentally Ill Offender Program
(DMIO)

• Community Protection Unit Department of
  CorrectionsPO Box 41127 MS 41127 Olympia, WA
  98504 360-586-4371

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DMIO (continued)

• How It Works
• Identify ex-offenders who can be classified as
  dangerous and mentally ill.
• A mental health provider is contacted and the
  prerelease transition process starts.
• About six months before release, treatment is
  given based on need (i.e., counseling services
  and drug rehabilitation).

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Program Examples for Phase 2Control and Restore
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Fort Wayne/Allen County, Indiana Reentry Court

• 201 W Superior Street  
• Fort Wayne, IN 46802   
• 260-449-7252   
• 260-449-7308 fax

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Fort Wayne, IN, Reentry Court (continued)

• The Elements
• Case management
• Electronic monitoring
• Rewards and sanctions
• Home visits
• Drug testing

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Fort Wayne, IN, Reentry Court (continued)

• Activities and Programs That Support the Elements
• Transitional programs (e.g., anger management)
• Remedial education
• Employment readiness
• Job development
• Mental health/health services
• Substance abuse treatment

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Fort Wayne, IN, Reentry Court (continued)

• The Results
• Significantly lower re-arrests
• Significantly lower new charges
• Savings of 2 million (based on the 209
  ex-offenders in the program)

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Federal Bureau of PrisonsResidential Reentry
Centers (RRCs)www.bop.gov/locations/cc/index.jsp
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Federal Bureau of Prisons RRCs(continued)

• How It Works
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons contracts with
  Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs), also known as
  halfway houses.
• Provide assistance to inmates who are nearing
  release
• Setting is structured and supervised
• Services include counseling, financial services,
  and job placement

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Federal Bureau of Prisons RRCs(continued)

• Focus Areas
• Accountability
• Employment
• Housing
• Substance Abuse Treatment and Counseling
• Medical and Mental Health Treatment

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Program Examples for Phase 3Sustain and Support
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EXODUS Transitional Community

• 161 East 104th Street New York, NY
  10029917-492-0990 917-492-8711 fax
• info_at_etcny.org www.etcny.org

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EXODUS Transitional Community(continued)

• Based in Harlem, NY
• Staff consists of ex-offenders
• Exodus forms a contract of agreed-upon goals and
  objectives with the ex-offender, consisting of
• Employment readiness training
• Job placement
• Computer training
• Life coaching
• Substance abuse and anger management
• Mentoring children of incarcerated parents
• Evaluating the Exodus model

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EXODUS Transitional Community (continued)

• Other services include HIV/AIDS education and
  referrals
• Speakers bureau of formerly incarcerated
  individuals
• Services for ex-offenders families

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EXODUS Transitional Community (continued)

• The Results
• The Exodus staff consists of ex-offenders or
  individuals directly affected by incarceration
  and/or HIV/AIDS in their immediate families.
• Each case manager thoroughly follows the
  ex-offender and works with him or her according
  to the contracts goals and objectives.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Reentry and Faith-based Organizations Brainstorm

• What organizations are working in your community?

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Additional Reentry Programsand Initiatives
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Citizen Circles Initiative

• The Citizen Circles concept originated in Ohio
  and is managed by the Department of Corrections.
• It focuses on the seven domain areas.
• It helps create partnerships that promote
  positive interaction and accountability for
  ex-offenders upon release.

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Citizen Circles (continued)

• Accepting responsibility
• Accepting recommendations
• Community service
• Law-abiding goals
• Productive community behavior

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Citizen Circles (continued)

• There are also circles in other states, including
  Wisconsin.
• For more information, email DRC.CitzenCircles_at_odrc
  .state.oh.us.

www.drc.state.oh.us/web/citizen/citizencircle.htm

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DOJ-AmeriCorpsVISTA12-City Reentry Program

• The goals of this initiative are to
• Reduce ex-offender recidivism and crime and
  promote successful reentry into society
• Build capacity for reentry and mentoring
  initiatives
• Advance a scalable model of leveraging volunteers

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DOJ-AmeriCorpsVISTA12-City Initiative
(continued)
Philadelphia, PA Providence, RI Cleveland,
OH Dayton, OH Portland, OR Washington, DC
Chicago, IL Charleston/ N. Charleston, SC Dallas,
TX Indianapolis, IN Miami, FL Oakland, CA
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DOJ-AmeriCorpsVISTA Sampling of Accomplishments

• Developed a curriculum focusing on practical life
  skills for returning ex-offenders
• Put together resource handbook/online database
  for formerly incarcerated persons
• Developed an employment database that includes
  employers willing to employ ex-offenders 
• Created a multilingual software program for an
  online resource directory

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Other Agencies With Reentry Initiatives

• Department of Labor
• Workforce Investment Board
• Ready 4 Work
• Prisoner Reentry Initiative Demonstration Grants
• National Institute of Corrections
• Law Enforcement Coordinating Councils (LECCs)
• Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
• Mentoring Children of Prisoners

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QuestionsandAnswers
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Resources
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Resources Government-sponsored or -supported
Websites

• The Reentry Policy Council was formed with two
  specific goals in mind.
• To develop bipartisan policies and principles for
  elected officials and other policymakers to
  consider as they evaluate re-entry issues in
  their jurisdictions
• To facilitate coordination and information-sharing
  among organizations implementing re-entry
  initiatives, researching re-entry trends,
  communicating about re-entry related issues, or
  funding re-entry projects
• www.reentrypolicy.org

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Resources Government-sponsored or -supported
Websites

• Justice Reinvestment Initiative, The Justice
  Center, Council of State Governments
• The initiative develops a strategy based on
  fiscally sound, data driven
• criminal justice policies to break the cycle of
  recidivism, avert prison
• expenditures, and make communities safer.
• Step 1 Analyze the prison population and
  spending in the communities
• to which people in prison often return
• Step 2 Provide policymakers with options to
  generate savings and
• increase public safety
• Step 3 Quantify savings and reinvest in select
  high-stakes communities
• Step 4 Measure the impact and enhance
  accountability
• http//www.justicereinvestment.org/

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Resources Government-sponsored or -supported
Websites (continued)

• Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency
  in Washington, DC
• Provides information, programs, and resources for
  ex-offenders returning to the Washington, DC,
  area
• www.csosa.gov

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Resources Government-sponsored or -supported
Websites (continued)

• U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice
  Statistics
• Offers the latest information, research,
  statistics, and trends in various areas,
  including prisoner reentry
• www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs

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Resources Research-based Websites

• The Urban Institute
• Gathers and analyzes data, conducts policy
  research, evaluates programs and services, and
  educates Americans on critical issues and trends
• www.urban.org

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Resources Research-based Websites (continued)

• Public Private Ventures
• A national nonprofit organization that seeks to
  improve the effectiveness of social policies and
  programs
• www.ppv.org

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Resources Research-based Websites (continued)

• Reentry Strategies Institute (RSI)
• A nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging
  frontline service providers, donors, and
  employers in support of successful, scalable
  reentry programs throughout the United States
  their primary focus is organizing, training, and
  research
• www.reentrystrategies.org

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Resources Faith-based Websites

• www.reentry.org
• Provides information and resources for chaplains
  and ministers who work with
• ex-offenders
• www.reentrymediaoutreach.org
• Provides media resources to community and
  faith-based organizations that will facilitate
  community discussion and decision making about
  solution-based reentry programs

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Resources Faith-basedWebsites (continued)

• The Pew Charitable Trusts
• Serves as a resource and provides expert,
  unbiased information on policy and legal
  developments concerning faith-based organizations
  involved in social services
• www.religionandsocialpolicy.org

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Resources Faith-basedWebsites (continued)

• The Faith and Service Technical Education Network
  (FASTEN)
• Offers informational resources and networking
  opportunities to faith-based practitioners,
  private philanthropies, and public administrators
  who collaborate effectively to renew urban
  communities
• www.fastennetwork.org

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Resources Volunteer-based Websites

• AmeriCorpsVISTA
• Through the Corporation for National and
  Community Service
• Over 6,000 AmeriCorpsVISTA membersnationwide
• Serve in hundreds of faith-based and community
  organizations and public agencies
• www.nationalservice.org

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Resources Publications

• When Prisoners Come Home Parole and Prisoner
  Reentry by Joan Petersilia (Professor of
  Criminology at the University of California,
  Irvine), Oxford University Press, February 2003
• This publication can be ordered through Oxford
  University Press at www.oup-usa.org

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Resources Publications(continued)

• Successful Transition and Reentry for Safer
  Communities A Call to Action for Parole by
  Peggy Burke and Michael Tonry, The Center for
  Effective Policy, 2006
• This document can be downloaded from the American
  Probation and Paroles website, www.appa-net.org.

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NCPCs Reentry Listserv

• Sponsored by the National Crime Prevention
  Council and the Corporation for National and
  Community Service
• To join, send an email to
• join-reentry_at_lists.etr.org.

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The National Crime Prevention Council

• 2345 Crystal Drive
• Fifth Floor
• Arlington, VA 22202
• 202-466-6272
• FAX [phone]
• www.ncpc.org

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Presenter Contact Information