Inside Out: A Plan to reduce recidivism and improve public safety through employment

1
Inside Out A Plan to reduce recidivism and
improve public safety through employment
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Illinois Department of Corrections
• National Transitional Jobs Network Conference
• April 2, 2008

2
Background Information
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Approximately 39,000 release from IDOC annually
• 85 are released on parole supervision (33,000)
  
• Remaining 15 (6,000) are discharged from prison
  without parole
• Its estimated that nearly 70 of all admissions
  are for drug- or drug-related crimes
• On average, most inmates are incarcerated for low
  level offenses

3
Governor Blagojevich Initiative
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Reduce recidivism
• Improve public safety
• Lower cost
• Comprehensive to address myriad of problems for
  offenders
• Increase accountability among city, county, state
  and community leaders to leverage resources and
  target the root causes of recidivism

4
Community Safety Reentry Commission
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Led by Assistant Director Benos
• 2004 (leverage state, federal and local resources
  to reduce the states recidivism rate
• Create a seamless system
• Top Ten impact area in Illinois

5
Post Release Management
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Reconnection with community
• Prison Based efforts
• Program and Support Services, Parole and Office
  of Reentry Management/ PRU
• Spotlight Reentry Center/ Day Reporting Centers
• Community Corrections
• Transitional Jobs Program
• Halfway Back Program

6
Office of Reentry Management
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Continue post release efforts aimed at parolees
• Support community capacity throughout Illinois
• Link prison based programs and post release
  initiatives
• Develop and support new initiatives and programs
• Build relationships with city and state agencies
• Placement Resource Unit contract management and
  community support

7
Selection Process and Structure
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Employment is a strong indicator of reentry
  success
• Illinois Black Legislative Caucus
• Initiative supported by federal and state dollars
• 6,383.300.00
• Summit
• Proposal Submissions
• Program administrated through BI

8
Program Flow
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor
9
Staffing
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor
10
Community Connections
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Designed to assist parolees with various needs
  and access to community support to break down
  barriers to successful reentry
• Referral process from Parole
• Monthly meetings twice a month for 40 parolees
  per Reentry Center

11
FY08 TJ Providers
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Aurora
• R.I.T.A.S Ministries
• Chicago
• Heartland Alliance and North Lawndale Employment
  Network
• Chicago Heights
• Community Assistance Programs

• Decatur
• The Promise Center
• East St. Louis
• Better Family Life
• Rockford
• Careers, Etc.

12
Success Stories
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Valuable to Parole
• Assist parolees with successful reentry
• Link employers to qualified job applicants
• Build local and state networks
• Access to education and training opportunities
• Increase communication
• Parole and community providers
• Unions and employers

13
Current Results, Next Steps
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• No concentrate retention data from all programs
• Continue support through General revenue Funding
• Increase technical assistance to TJ providers
• Develop a comprehensive evaluation process with a
  focus on retention data and educational outcomes

14
Challenges
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Clear roles and responsibilities
• Include Parole at the being of planning process
• Understand the labor market and culture of
  employers
• Ongoing technical assistance and best practice
• Budget and Administrative skills
• Strong Communication

15
Things to Consider
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Examine Philosophies
• BI, Parole, TJ Providers
• Sustainability
• Strong background in workforce development
• Understand Parole/ Corrections
• Leverage community resources including advocates

16
Things to Consider
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Comprehensive Plan of Reform
• Develop Champions
• Legislators
• Subject Experts
• Community Driven Process
• Evaluation
• Parolees/ Parole
• Community

17
Things to Consider
Roger E. Walker Jr., Director Rod R. Blagojevich,
Governor

• Difficult to keep parolees clean through the
  duration of programming
• Transient clients
• Getting employers to follow the TJ model
• Public education campaign
• Conflict with other programming

18
Illinois Department of Corrections

• Lisa Hampton
• Manager, Office of Reentry Management
• Illinois Department of Corrections
• 100 W. Randolph, Suite 4-200
• Chicago, IL 60601
• 312-814-8905
• Lisa.Hampton_at_doc.illinois.gov