CT FEATURE

Partnerships With Local LawEnforcement and Community Agencies:

A Critical Component toSuccessful Prisoner Reentry InitiativesBy Ashbel T. Wall II and Tracey Z. Poole

As correctional departments around the countryexpand upon their mission of public safety toincorporate a greater emphasis on reducingrecidivism through successful prisoner reentry,

partnerships with law enforcement agencies and communi-ty service providers have become even more critical. Asrecently as the 1980s, many correctional departments,including Rhode Island’s, operated as independent, some-what mysterious and secretive entities. Information- andresource-sharing were the exception, not the norm. Thathas radically changed and interaction between correctionsand a host of other state, federal and local agencies hasbecome an integral facet of daily life for professionals injails, prisons and community corrections nationwide.

Partnering With Law EnforcementThe primary mission of law enforcement is to maintain

peace and order and provide a safe environment. In theserespects, it is fundamentally aligned with the mission of thecorrections field. Although each domain has its own roleand perspective, the goal of public safety requires integra-tion and activities that interlock and interconnect. Themessage must be sent, from the top, that this approach is apriority at the highest level.

There are several underlying assumptions that must bein play if prisoner reentry is to be effective. All of them sup-port the argument that corrections and law enforcementmust come together to further these important ideas:

• Prisoner reentry is a statewide issue;• The current approach to corrections is costly and

the outcomes are not great;• Solutions do not lie solely within correctional depart-

ments;• Both human services and law enforcement must join

together with corrections;• Communities and community-based agencies must

be part of the process;• It is possible to create models that cut across exist-

ing bureaucratic structures;• The work must involve changes in organizational cul-

ture and attitudes;• Communication and data-sharing are essential; and• Success can (and should) be measured.

Perhaps the most important outcome of the partner-ships formed between probation and parole officers andpolice officers is the sense of mutual respect and connec-tion that develops from working in tandem on a regularbasis. It is unusual to hear of probation and parole officersdescribed as “the two new rock stars of the city,” but thatis how Col. Dean Esserman, the Providence police chief,described Rhode Island DOC probation officers YolandaHarley and Geneva Brown at a recent gathering that inclu-ded members of his staff, DOC officials and a reporter fromThe Providence Journal. Esserman added, “And I intend tobuy tickets to their concert someday.”

The chief said he is enthusiastic about this “remarkablepartnership” between his department and the DOC and itsrole in enhancing public safety in the state’s largest city. TheProvidence police officers are now wired into the DOC’sinmate database, INFACTS, and can access it from laptops intheir cruisers or from police headquarters and substations.Within moments of arrest, police officers can determinewhether individuals are on probation or parole, downloadoffenders’ photos, and review other important details abouttheir incarceration history.

Meeting probationers where they live is one of the cornerstones of probation. As a result of the partnershipbetween the DOC and the police department, Brown andHarley have moved out of their comfort zone — working pre-viously in the Superior Court and the District Court — andnow have offices right alongside the police substation in Dis-trict 7, a neighborhood with a startlingly high number of pro-bationers. Historically, probation officers had been frustratedbecause they were desk-bound in the courthouse. Today,these two officers’ entire caseloads live within a 10-minute

Law enforcement and correctional officers work together at the Providence Public Safety Complex.

Photos courtesy Rhode Island Departm

ent of Corrections

drive. Brown and Harley conduct weekly home visits, partici-pate in ride-alongs with the police and attend weekly staffmeetings in Esserman’s office to share information about pro-bationers on their caseloads. They say they cannot imaginereturning to “the old way” of doing business.

The willingness of District 7’s Lt. Michael Correia and hisstaff to welcome probation officers into their substation andto work hand in glove with them has sent a message acrossthe city that the DOC and the Providence Police Departmentwill partner in every way possible to ensure the safety of thecity’s residents. Harley and Brown have been pioneers in thiseffort. Their supervisor and all of the administrators in proba-tion and parole have been instrumental in making this relationship successful.

Once a month, new probationers from the district areinvited to the District 7 substation for a “meet ‘n greet”attended by critical staff from the police department and pro-bation and parole. Their photos are taken and included in apersonalized meet ‘n greet flier, which is a handy way forpolice and probation officers to quickly identify and keeptabs on probationers. “Right away when they come in theroom,” Correia said, “they know something’s different.”Micheline Lombardi, who supervises Harley and Brown, seesthese gatherings as an opportunity to show probationers that“we’re not the enemy. [We want] to help them change theway they look at life and make better choices.” Lombardiadded: “This is a long-term partnership. We’re taking it to thenext level. Other districts now want what District 7 has.”

Rhode Island’s probation offi-cers have among the highestcaseloads in the country. Whilethe state needs more officers, its fiscal crisis has made it imper-ative that new and creativeoptions be considered. Since thispartnership has only existed forabout seven months, it is tooearly to generate hard data onthe impact the partnership ishaving on recidivism. However,the sentiment shared by thepolice department and the DOCis that people behave betterwhen they are being watched,and this collaboration greatlyincreases the level of supervision.

Of the approximately 20,000Rhode Islanders on probation orparole in the state’s comm-unities, 6,600 lived in the city of Providence as of year-end 2007,according to the Rhode IslandDOC’s Planning and ResearchUnit. This partnership is bringingthe focus of supervision down tothe neighborhood level, and itshows that working togetherevery day really makes the system work. It is a smart invest-ment because it increases thestate’s ability to prevent re-offending, which involves addi-tional victimization; leads to achurning of offenders throughthe correctional system; and dri-ves up crowding and costs.

The DOC is interested indeveloping similar relationshipsin cities across the state andrecently launched an initiative inWarwick, Rhode Island’s secondlargest community. About 75 pro-bationers residing in that citywere invited to the police depart-ment for a meet ‘n greet involving

Data Source: R.I. Department Of Corrections, 2006 Sentenced Releases

Distribution of Providence’s Reentering Populationby Neighborhood, 2006

1,346 Offenders Returned toProvidence in 2006

9% (121) Could not be matched to aspecific neighborhood

Number of Total Reentering Population

2 - 17

18 - 51

52 - 106

107 - 159

the Warwick Police Department and the DOC’s probation andparole staff. They were addressed by A.T. Wall II, the correc-tions director; Lt. Thomas Hannon, Warwick Police Depart-ment; Robert Corrente, U.S. attorney for the state of RhodeIsland; Col. Stephen McCartney, Warwick Chief of Police; andChristine Imbriglio, supervisor of Kent County Probation. Sev-eral community service providers also attended, includingthe Kent Center, Kent House, Vantage Point, Assisted Recov-ery, Addiction Recovery Institute, the Department of HumanServices and West Bay Community Action. These providerswere available at the conclusion of the presentation to offerassistance and information to attendees. Warwick MayorScott Avedesian dropped in on the gathering and also metwith local politicians, probation and parole staff, the chief,and others in the neighborhood of Oakland Beach to discussexpanding the partnership to include more communities. “I’menthusiastically supporting this and look forward to furtherexpanding the partnership,” McCart-ney said.

Regional ReentryCouncils

The battle for successful reentryis ultimately won or lost on theground in individual communities.The DOC has begun the process ofcreating local reentry councils incommunities with the highest concentration of returning offenders-— thus far in Newport, Providence,Pawtucket and Woonsocket. Thereentry councils comprise localelected officials, upper managersfrom local service providers, seniorprobation and parole staff, lawenforcement personnel, and repre-sentatives from faith-based organiza-tions and the business sector. Thesecouncils are beginning to make animpact on the lives of the men andwomen in the affected communitieswho leave prison with the oftendaunting goal of never coming back.

The purpose of these regionalcouncils is to create a seamless tran-sition for offenders from prison backinto their home communities byresolving the specific barriers —finding employment, health careand affordable housing — that oftenlead to a downward spiral. Thecouncils also serve as advocates foreffective inmate reentry. They havethe local credibility to point out thatreentry is an issue of communitysafety, and it affects every memberof a community, whether directly orindirectly.

Newport’s council. Spearheaded by the faith communityin Newport, the regional reentry council there was the first toget off the ground in Rhode Island and has transformed theway the DOC and other social service agencies are able toassist inmates returning to this city.

At a recent meeting of the council, DOC probation andparole and transitional services staff; representatives of localagencies such as a faith-based nonprofit for ex-offenders anda local homeless shelter; the area hospital’s social worker;mental health providers; the community police officer; andthe city’s part-time reentry coordinator gathered around thetable to discuss the list of specific individuals to be releasedfrom prison in the next six months.

Data Source: R.I. Department Of Corrections, 2006 Sentenced Releases

0% - 0.5%

0.6% - 1.3%

1.4% - 8.5%

8.6% - 36.8%

Distribution of Rhode Island’s Reentering Populationby Municipality, 2006

3,654 Offenders Returned to Rhode Island in 2006

Percent of Total Reentering Population

Newport’s key players. “All of you are able to tell usthings about these people we never would have known oth-erwise,” noted Sister Teresa Foley, professional/transitionalservices coordinator for the DOC. “The interchange of infor-mation has been wonderful and has allowed us to do betterplanning by knowing all of these interconnections.”

Roberta Richman, assistant director for rehabilitativeservices for the DOC, has been a driving force in gettingthese regional councils off the ground. She is pleased to seeeach council taking on a unique shape specific to the char-acter and size of the community. “These people [returningoffenders] are not an island unto themselves,” Richmansaid during a council meeting in Newport. “The policeknow them. Many of you around the table know them. Thisis where they have grown up and we at the DOC couldn’tpossibly serve them as well without the helpful informationyou’re all able to provide us with. We share informationand the responsibility for being there for people who aretrying hard and can’t do it alone.”

The Rev. Cheryl Robinson runs Turning Around Ministries, a Newport nonprofit that mentors returningoffenders for 18 months and helps them with needs such asfood, clothing, shelter, and GED preparation or accessingcollege courses — all of the things that can become stum-bling blocks and force someone back into old, harmful patterns. Robinson has been a leader on the Newport Reen-try Council since it began.

Cheryl Newsome plays an equally pivotal role as New-port’s part-time reentry coordinator. She works with land-lords to find housing for clients and accompanies them tocourt, homeless shelters or mental health appointments.Both Newsome and Robinson travel to the DOC in Cranstononce a month to attend discharge-planning meetings.

Tom Reiser is a clinician with CODAC Behavioral Health-care, and his presence at the council meetings enables hisstaff to expedite the process of getting offenders enrolled intreatment within days of their release. His agency offers

counseling and assessmentand acts in coordination with East Bay Community Action. The two agencieswork closely with DOC proba-tion and parole staff and provide reports to the courts.

Nancy Hallman, probationand parole supervisor forNewport County, has foundthe regional council imm-ensely helpful to her and herstaff. “Even if someone is onstraight probation [neverincarcerated],” she noted,“we know we can contactsomeone from the council forassistance. With our heavycaseloads, having these com-munity networking connec-tions has taken some of theburden off of probation.”

Sue Windsor is a socialworker with Newport Hospi-tal. She encourages reenter-

ing offenders to get a primary care physician if they do nothave one and works with discharge planning to ensure thatservices offenders receive in prison will continue. Windsoralso works with probation and parole to ensure thatreleased offenders have the medications they need.

Fernando Comas, probation officer in the sex offender unitwho attends council meetings when a sex offender is on therelease list, visits these offenders while they are still incarcer-ated to set them up with the services they will need uponrelease. “They function much better when people areinvolved and respond well to a helping hand,” he said. “Wework to help them reenter society and allow people toobserve that they can function normally.”

Also in attendance when possible are Christine Green,DOC discharge planner (contracted through the UrbanLeague), who sets up court-ordered treatment and provides follow-up with clients for about a year; and AnnaHarrison-Auld, administrator for adult outpatient and emer-gency services with Newport Country Community MentalHealth Center. “We prioritize inmates when they’rereleased,” Harrison-Auld explained. “They can walk in onthe day of discharge and have an application.”

Newport as a model. Thanks to this partnership, offend-ers returning to Newport are set up with coordinated ser-vices and are better able to function, unlike in past yearswhen they would leave prison and get on a bus with nothingbut a trash bag full of their belongings. The hope is tosecure additional funding so a reentry center can be set upin downtown Newport and the results of these efforts canbe tracked more formally. At one meeting, a discharge planner mentioned that only one of her clients has returnedto prison out of all those released to Newport in the previ-ous six or seven months. Robinson is only aware of two ofher clients who have returned to prison. They were theones who refused help.

RIDOC Director A.T. Wall II addresses a crowd of 75 probationers at the Warwick Police Department during arecent “meet ‘n greet” involving RIDOC’s probation and parole staff, the city’s police officers, and areacommunity service providers.

Perhaps this model is so successful in Newport becauseof its small size and the close proximity of serviceproviders. Maybe it is the fact that Jimmy Winters, commu-nity police officer and another important member of thecouncil, has known most of the returning offenders andtheir extended families for much of their lives. Whateverthe reason, it seems to be working.

Expanding the EffortProvidence Mayor David Cicilline has appointed his police

chief to co-chair the reentry council there and has obtainedgrant money to hire a full-time reentry coordinator. In Paw-tucket and Warwick, similar initiatives are just getting off theground. In order for these efforts to be successful, three legsof the stool need to be in place to provide ex-offenders withthe stability they need to reenter society.

Richman, who has been at this work for much of her 30-year DOC career, said: “First, prison officials need to beginpreparing [offenders] for life outside the prison walls beforethey leave us. Then, the community has to put aside the stigma of dealing with people who have been incarcerated.But, most important, the offenders themselves have to wantto make the necessary changes.”

Perhaps Cicilline said it best in his keynote address to theDOC’s offender reentry strategic-planning retreat back in September. The biggest challenge, as he sees it, is on an emo-tional level. Most Rhode Islanders’ gut reaction to thethought of devoting resources to ex-offenders is negative. Itdoes not make sense to them. Those professionals engagedin this work see the benefits, but how do they persuade the

public? Clearly not with logic and evidence alone, accordingto Cicilline. It is really a matter of using different language totalk about this work so that it is not focused on individualoffenders. It has to be about communities protecting them-selves — people who do not want to be victims or to havetheir own neighbors victimized again. Any community thatneglects this work is risking the safety of its citizens. “We arenot building an ex-offender community support system but acommunity protection strategy,” Cicilline argued. “Changingour language in this discussion really isn’t political spin. Itreally is about communities.”

The two successful emerging partnerships with lawenforcement and the four regional reentry councils in RhodeIsland all play a critical role in the state’s commitment toeffective prisoner reentry. It is through deliberate connec-tions at the ground level that Rhode Island will begin to see adrop in recidivism rates and save taxpayer money by ensur-ing that the thousands of people released from prison eachyear will stay out. It is about a whole new way of doing busi-ness in corrections, and like any change, there are bound tobe growing pains. In the long run, though, the gain will farexceed the pain.

Ashbel T. Wall II is director of the Rhode Island Department ofCorrections. Tracey Z. Poole is chief of information and publicrelations for the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.