Linking prison and community-based services to reduce recidivism among young ex-offenders
Abstract
It has been estimated that approximately 1,600 individuals are released from prisons daily, and nearly two-thirds of all released prisoners will be re-arrested within three years. Fostering an individual's transition from prison life to mainstream society can be challenging, especially when working with young offenders. However, recent study has shown that intervention that is supported through post-release supervision is most effective at reducing recidivism. A program in Boston, based on these principles, holds promise for success. Azalea Aguilar of the National Crime Prevention Council submitted this effective practice in February 2006.Issue
Many ex-offenders leave prison with no job prospects and no money, support system, or adequate housing. Consequently, they are at risk of reoffending when they return to their neighborhoods.Action
The Boston Reentry Initiative (BRI), a partnership between the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department and the Boston Police Department, creates a formal inter-agency support system for inmates before their release from the House of Correction. Effective practices include:- The Boston Police Department's Gang Intelligence Unit identifies high-risk offenders as they are entering the Suffolk County House of Correction (HOC). Inmates at the HOC have been found guilty and are serving sentences of less than two and a half years. The average sentence is 14 months.
- The unit recommends 15-20 inmates per month for the program.
- In the last few months of incarceration, the inmates attend a panel session with representatives from law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, where the message is fair and balanced with social service, faith, and law enforcement messages.
- Each panel member speaks from his or her own perspective: faith-based and social service organizations, for example, talk about resources and support available while the inmates are in prison and after their release, while law enforcement speaks about the consequences of reoffending. The overall impact of these sessions is to diminish the inmates' sense of anonymity and to help them understand that they have the power to choose not to return to criminal behavior.
- After the panel session, inmates are assigned caseworkers and faith-based mentors who meet with them while they are still incarcerated. Program participants develop a "transition accountability plan" that outlines whatever treatment and rehabilitation is needed. Education, substance abuse, and other rehabilitative programs are part of the transitional accountability plan.
- On release, a family member or a mentor meets the person at the door. Mentors and caseworkers continue to assist ex-offenders with immediate issues such as IDs, driver's licenses, health insurance, shelter, transportation, clothing, and other aspects of daily living.
- The ex-offenders are encouraged to continue these relationships during the reentry period, and they are tracked and monitored after their release.
- All of the faith-based organizations are in the neighborhoods to which the offenders return. This provides additional credibility for the program. Religion is not a factor in selecting program participants but sometimes plays a role in matching mentors and participants.
Context
The Boston Re-entry Initiative (BRI) is a partnership between the Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department that also involves the collaborative efforts of social service providers, other law enforcement agencies, and faith-based organizations — the Ella J. Baker House, Bruce Wall Ministries, the Nation of Islam, and the Ten-point Coalition. The BRI targets 17- to 34-year-old inmates who are considered high risk for continuing their involvement in crime. Most of the offenders selected have extensive criminal backgrounds, histories of violence, firearm offenses, and gang associations. In addition, they come from — and will probably return to — communities designated as high-crime areas. The BRI seeks to prevent these young people from reoffending by offering them comprehensive and effective transitional resources and by carefully monitoring their reentry process.Outcome
The partnership has led to the creation of a very successful juvenile reentry program with the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, as well as a small pilot Federal Re-Entry Program, under federal supervision.Evidence
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Department releases more than 3,000 inmates from the House of Correction and more than 13,000 detainees from the Nashua Street Jail annually. Research has shown that the first 24-hours after release is critical to offenders leaving the system. This partnership provides a multifaceted approach to help reduce the rate of recidivism for recently released inmates.Posted On
February 15, 2006For More Information
Azalea Aguilar
National Crime Prevention Council
1000 Connecticut Ave NW, 13th FL
Washington,
DC
20036
Phone: (202) 261-4190
Website: http://www.ncpc.org/
Email: aaguilar@ncpc.org
Resources
Travis, Jeremy, Amy Solomon and Michelle Waul, From Prison to Home: The Dimensions and Consequences of Prisoner Re-entry. Urban Institute Justice Policy Center, June 2001.
The Online Learning Center's AmeriCorps*VISTA and Prisoner Re-entry online course http://my.nationalservice.org. Click the "Not a Member Yet?" link on the left-hand side of the screen and create a login to access the course.