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Prisoner Reentry through Faith-Based and Community Organizations – the President’s Reentry Initiative: 

Prisoner Reentry through Faith-Based and Community Organizations – the President’s Reentry Initiative 2006 National TASC Conference on Drugs and Crime September 18,2006 Scott Shortenhaus, US DOL Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

DOL CFBCI Mission: 

DOL CFBCI Mission The Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI) at the U.S. Department of Labor seeks to empower faith-based and community organizations (FBCO) as these organizations help their neighbors enter, succeed and thrive in the workforce.

Background: 

Background Each year more than 650,000 inmates are released from Federal and State prisons and return to their families and communities Over two-thirds of returning inmates will be rearrested within three years of their release from prison and two out of five will be reincarcerated Cost to community two fold – cost of prosecution/incarceration & opportunity cost of not having offenders as productive citizens

Recidivism Rates: 

Recidivism Rates Property Crimes: 74% Drug Offenders: 67% Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol: 51% Rape: 46% Homicide: 41% Sexual Assault: 41%

Employment Barriers of Released Prisoners: 

Employment Barriers of Released Prisoners An estimated 40% of adult State prisoners are functionally illiterate, and over half of State parole entrants have not graduated from high school. An estimated 25% of State parolees had at some point in their lives been alcohol dependent and an estimated 25% had at one point been IV drug users. According to a 1997 study, 29% of prisoners released participated in vocational education programs, 10% in drug treatment programs, and 35% in educational programs. Myriad of needs – including employer reluctance to hire offenders.

What FBCOs can offer in Reentry: 

What FBCOs can offer in Reentry Established and trusted presence in community with many connections to employers and other service providers Compassionate vision and “human capital” to provide holistic services to returnees. Many provide a variety of social services such as: mentoring, soft skills training, technical skills training, job placement and retention, case management, language training, housing, substance abuse treatment, basic needs, etc.

Ready4Work: 

Ready4Work Created in 2003, R4W is a 3-yr, $25M reentry demonstration program run through FBCOs. Jointly funded through DOL, DOJ and P/PV. 11 sites serving adults (18-35), 6 sites serving juveniles (14-18). Services end at the end of this month.

Ready4Work: 

Ready4Work Three main tenets: Job Training, Placement and Retention Mentoring Case Management Referrals are made for other supportive services such as housing, health, substance abuse, mental health, etc.

Ready4Work Results for Adult Sites: 

Ready4Work Results for Adult Sites As of June 30, 2006 96% Case Managed 60% Mentored 85% in Job Training classes 58% have been employed, and 62% of this total retained their job for 3 consecutive months Recidivism: 1.9% at 6 month mark, 5% at one year mark

President’s Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI): 

President’s Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI) Announced in 2004 by President Bush in his State of the Union Address Proposed $300M, four-year program reentry program through FBCOs Three core tenets Job Training, Placement, and Retention Transitional Housing Mentoring

PRI: 

PRI Plan to serve 6,250 released prisoners during the first year of this initiative. Projects operating in 30 communities across the country. Roughly 200 released prisoners served per site during first year.

Overall Structure: 

Overall Structure Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded grants under this competition to faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) in November 2005. Department of Justice will award competitive grants to State agencies to provide pre-release services to prisoners who will be returning to the communities served by the DOL grants. Partnership with SAHMSA

PRI Cities: 

PRI Cities Tucson Phoenix San Diego Oakland Sacramento Fresno Denver Hartford Fort Lauderdale Des Moines Chicago Baton Rouge New Orleans Boston Baltimore Pontiac St. Louis Kansas City Atlantic County, NJ Brooklyn Newark New York (Bronx) Cincinnati Portland Philadelphia Houston San Antonio Dallas Seattle Milwaukee

Who is eligible to be served under these grants?: 

Who is eligible to be served under these grants? Individuals 18 years and older Who has been convicted as an adult & imprisoned pursuant to an Act of Congress/a State law, and Who has never been convicted of a violent/sex-related offense can be served with these grants.

Non-violent Offenses: 

Non-violent Offenses Non-violent offenses are those offenses described in State and Federal statutes encompassing property crime, drug offenses; and public order crimes. Property crimes include, but are not limited to: burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and receiving stolen property. Drug crimes include, but are not limited to: possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Public order offenses include, but are not limited to: commercial vice, gambling, animal cruelty, and driving while intoxicated.

Allowable Uses of Grant Funds: 

Allowable Uses of Grant Funds Grant funds can be used to provide a variety of services to returning prisoners: workforce development services job training, on-the-job training work experience basic skills remediation counseling case management Mentoring other reentry services

Not Allowable Uses: 

Not Allowable Uses DOL grant funds may not be used for substance abuse treatment services. DOL grant funds should also not be used for pre-release services other than recruitment, introductory meetings, orientations, and other activities necessary to establishing program connections with prisoners prior to their release. The DOJ Grant to State agencies will provide pre-release services.

Housing: 

Housing Funds are not currently available under this initiative to provide housing services for participants. The grants will require that linkages be developed at each site to provide necessary housing services to participants. Subject to the availability of appropriations, Federal funds to provide housing services may be added to these grants in future years.

Mentoring: 

Mentoring FBCOs will provide post-release mentoring and other services essential to reintegrating ex-offenders in coordination with the corrections, parole, and probation structure. Participating adult ex-offenders will be matched with appropriate mentors who will be primarily responsible for supporting the returnee in the community and the work place. Different than Case Management One-on-one vs. Team

Employment Efforts : 

Employment Efforts Assessments; Getting offenders placed quickly after their release; Follow-up services; Working with employers; Links to One-Stop Centers; Links to community colleges and trade schools for training; Addressing low reading and math levels; Addressing transportation issues.

Coordination with criminal justice system : 

Coordination with criminal justice system Grantees must collaborate with corrections agencies that will: Identify participants prior to release, including a referral and intake process from State or Federal prisons, and in some case, local jails. Identify specific needs of those participating in the program. Enable employment with identified program participants to begin within 6 months after release. Facilitate access to corrections facility for work with offenders prior to release. Coordinate provision of services and mentoring with community supervision.

Coordination with Local Parole & Law Enforcement Officials: 

Coordination with Local Parole & Law Enforcement Officials Released offenders often have terms of post-release supervision that may include reporting requirements, drug and/or alcohol treatment, counseling, etc. Failure to meet the terms of release often results in revocation of probation or parole. Grantees must have a partnership with law enforcement, including police, probation and parole, to ensure coordination and cooperation in accessing services to fulfill these terms of release.

PRI Grants: 

PRI Grants Total award amount of $19.6 million to FBCO grantees through DOL for each of the first two years DOJ grants are two year grants Existing grants will be funded at least through Nov 2007

PRI Early Results: 

PRI Early Results Services started 3/1/2006. Early results from the 30 sites: 2,363 participants enrolled, 8,760 services delivered, 1,095 job placements. First quarter results on treatment programs.

For Further Information: 

For Further Information Materials www.dol.gov/cfbci (CFBCI and R4W) http://www.doleta.gov/PRI/ (PRI) Scott Shortenhaus Shortenhaus.scott@dol.gov 202.693.6459

Other Questions?: 

Other Questions? How do I partner with FBCOs in my community. What do I look for? What do I NOT look for? Different types of partnerships. What organizations are in my city?

What to Look for in an FBCO: 

What to Look for in an FBCO Different levels of sophistication. Choose carefully Orgs that Share your vision, goals, and deliver SERVICES you need Share your demographic region and target market Can produce needed reporting Staffing levels that can carry out mission Invested in the community Org that is really interested in partnering, not just funding

How to Partner with a FBCO: 

How to Partner with a FBCO Research organizations in your community and identify the right ones to work with – choose carefully! Assess what you have to offer and what you’re looking for in a partner Find organizations with complimentary resources and a similar mission. Foster RELATIONSHIP with head of organization and staff. Keep up with relationship. Know what type of partnership you want and pursue it. Formal (MOU)? Informal? Referral system? How many participants?