THE GREATER RESPONSE TO REENTRY

Alameda County Reentry Networkwww.acreentry.org

www.acreentry.org

Presentation Summary

Reentry in Alameda County

Role of the Reentry Network

Reentry Network Endorsements

www.acreentry.org

UNDERSTANDING REENTRY

•REENTRY CONTINUUM •POPULATION SIZE

•GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION• DEMOGRAPHICS •SERVICE NEEDS

Reentry in Alameda County

www.acreentry.org

Reentry Continuum

Incarceration – period while incarcerated before pre-release planning has begun

Pre-Release – planning phase leading up to release

Reentry – establish long- term solutions for health, housing, employment etc.

Release - Released from institution and transition to community, ideally in accordance with pre-release plan

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Theoretical Foundation of Reentry Network

Desired Outcome

Recidivism is the result of…

Method

Reduce recidivism in order to increase public safety

Ineffective service and support systems to manage pre-release planning and reentry

Develop and manage a system to ensure/track supply services and to evaluate outcomes of services

Lack of personal and professional opportunities and supports

Remove policy and administrative barriers; rigorously evaluate reentry programs

Lack of connection to social networks capable of providing support

Establish connections to community social networks prior to release

Lack of a human capital and a healthy values system prior to, during, and after incarceration

Programming during incarceration that promotes healthy values and plans for release

www.acreentry.org

Understanding Reentry

“The reality of mass incarceration translates into the reality of reentry” - Jeremy Travis, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Over 90% of people who are incarcerated are released

There are now 2.3 million people in U.S. prisons and jails, a fourfold increase since 1980.

An estimated 700,000 people in the U.S. are released from incarceration each year

www.acreentry.org

Impact of Reentry on Communities

Reentry impacts specific communities more than others

HEALTH: Racial disparities in incarceration can explain disparities in AIDS infection rates

CHILDREN: 1 in 4 African-American children will witness their father being sent to prison by their fourteenth birthday

www.acreentry.org

Reentry in Alameda County

In June 2008, Alameda County had 16,438 people under criminal justice supervision 4,664 parole 11,684 probation

Roughly 1 in 100 people in Alameda County are currently under criminal justice supervision

www.acreentry.org

Reentry Population Demographics

Alameda County parolee population is:Overwhelmingly male (91%)

Under 50 years old (97%) with the largest proportion in the 30-40 age range

People of color (84%) with African Americans comprising the largest ethnic group constituting 67% of the parolee population

www.acreentry.org

Reentry Population Service Needs

Income & Employment: financial support to address immediate post-release needs and training/education to obtain living-wage job

Housing: a safe and sober place to live that adheres to the terms of release

Health Care: continuity of care from incarceration to community

Substance Abuse: treatment, support groups and other substance abuse services

www.acreentry.org

Reentry Population Service Needs

Education: minimum of GED, basic literacy and mathematics skills.

Social Services: access and information on available public benefits.

Family Services: family reunification, parenting, spousal relationships, etc.

Case Management: case manager to identify potential services, facilitate service delivery and monitor progress.

Legal services: employment rights, record cleaning, restitution and child support payments, etc.

www.acreentry.org

A Need to Address Reentry

The need to address reentry has been widely recognized (e.g. 2nd Chance Act )

Reentry programs will lead to safer more vibrant communities

Successful models of county-wide systems for addressing reentry are rare but do exist

www.acreentry.org

WHAT DOES THE REENTRY NETWORK PROVIDE?

The Role of Reentry Network

www.acreentry.org

What are we doing currently?

Current responses to reentry: Increasing police involvement in programming

(e.g. community policing) Funding services and programs Addressing policy barriers

Planning, cooperation and coordination has been noticeably absent from our response to reentry

“We aren’t out numbered, we are out organized” – Arnold Perkins, former Alameda County Public Health Director

www.acreentry.org

A County Wide Response

The Alameda County Reentry Network (Reentry Network) is a county-wide effort to reduce recidivism among the formerly incarcerated in order to increase public safety.

The Reentry Network addresses reentry as a county-wide problem.

The Reentry Network enables county-wide planning, data-collection, resource-development and collaboration.www.acreentry.org

The Reentry Network Provides S.A.F.E.T.Y.

StrategyAdvocacyFactsEfficiencyTeamworkYardstick

www.acreentry.org

Strategy

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Advocacy

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Facts

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Efficiency

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Teamwork

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Yardstick

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ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK:

A NEEDED RESPONSE TO A RISING DEMAND

Responding to Reentry

www.acreentry.org

What is the Reentry Network?

A network of committees, task forces and forums that address the full spectrum of reentry stakeholders.

The Reentry Network has created two new committees; other committees were formed from established meetings and groups that were already addressing these issues.

www.acreentry.org

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

The Alameda County Reentry Network (Reentry Network) is a county wide effort to reduce recidivism among the formerly incarcerated in order to increase public safety

Function: Produce Annual Plan synthesizing the work of the entire Reentry Network and maintain communication and coordination throughout the Network

Coordinating Council

Function: Produce Annual Plan synthesizing the work of the entire Reentry Network and maintain communication and coordination throughout the Network

Coordinating Council

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

Function: Produce Annual Plan synthesizing the work of the entire Reentry Network and maintain communication and coordination throughout the Network

Coordinating Council

Implementation Committee

Function: Resolve barriers (e.g. legal, administrative) impacting the implementation of reentry initiatives (e.g. Measure Y, SB 81) and works to expand successful programs

Function: Resolve barriers (e.g. legal, administrative) impacting the implementation of reentry initiatives (e.g. SB 81, Measure Y) and works to expand successful programs

Implementation Committee

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

Function: Provide professional development activities for reentry service providers

Networking and Professional Development

Function: Produce Annual Plan synthesizing the work of the entire Reentry Network and maintain communication and coordination throughout the Network

Coordinating Council

Implementation Committee

Function: Resolve barriers (e.g. legal, administrative) impacting the implementation of reentry initiatives (e.g. Measure Y, SB 81) and works to expand successful programs

Function: Provide professional development activities for reentry service providers

Networking and Professional Development

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

Function: Provide professional development activities for reentry service providers

Networking and Professional Development

Reentry Task Forces

Function: Produce comprehensive analysis and recommendations on specific issues (e.g. Health, Employment) describing the current status of services, policy and resources

Function: Produce Annual Plan synthesizing the work of the entire Reentry Network and maintain communication and coordination throughout the Network

Coordinating Council

Implementation Committee

Function: Resolve barriers (e.g. legal, administrative) impacting the implementation of reentry initiatives (e.g. Measure Y, SB 81) and works to expand successful programs

Function: Produce comprehensive analysis and recommendations on specific issues (e.g. Health, Employment) describing the current status of services, policy and resources

Reentry Task Forces

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

Function: Provide professional development activities for reentry service providers

Networking and Professional Development

Reentry Task Forces

Function: Produce comprehensive analysis and recommendations on specific issues (e.g. Health, Employment) describing the current status of services, policy and resources

Function: Produce Annual Plan synthesizing the work of the entire Reentry Network and maintain communication and coordination throughout the Network

Coordinating Council

Implementation Committee

Function: Resolve barriers (e.g. legal, administrative) impacting the implementation of reentry initiatives (e.g. Measure Y, SB 81) and works to expand successful programs

Community Forums

Function: Engages neighborhood and community networks in identifying and addressing community needs and resources for dealing with reentry

Function: Engages neighborhood and community networks in identifying and addressing community needs and resources for dealing with reentry

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

Function: Provide professional development activities for reentry service providers

Networking and Professional Development

Reentry Task Forces

Function: Produce comprehensive analysis and recommendations on specific issues (e.g. Health, Employment) describing the current status of services, policy and resources

Function: Produce Annual Plan synthesizing the work of the entire Reentry Network and maintain communication and coordination throughout the Network

Coordinating Council

Function: Approve an Annual Plan and provide policies and resources to support the Annual Plan

Decision Makers Committee

Implementation Committee

Function: Resolve barriers (e.g. legal, administrative) impacting the implementation of reentry initiatives (e.g. Measure Y, SB 81) and works to expand successful programs

Community Forums

Function: Engages neighborhood and community networks in identifying and addressing community needs and resources for dealing with reentry

Function: Approve an Annual Plan and provide policies and resources to support the Annual Plan

Decision Makers Committee

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

Function: Provide professional development activities for reentry service providers

Networking and Professional Development

Reentry Task Forces

Function: Produce comprehensive analysis and recommendations on specific issues (e.g. Health, Employment) describing the current status of services, policy and resources

Function: Produce Annual Plan synthesizing the work of the entire Reentry Network and maintain communication and coordination throughout the Network

Coordinating Council

Function: Approve an Annual Plan and provide policies and resources to support the Annual Plan

Decision Makers Committee

Implementation Committee

Function: Resolve barriers (e.g. legal, administrative) impacting the implementation of reentry initiatives (e.g. Measure Y, SB 81) and works to expand successful programs

Community Forums

Function: Engages neighborhood and community networks in identifying and addressing community needs and resources for dealing with reentry

Reentry Network Endorsements

www.acreentry.org

Endorsement #1

Publicly state your participation on the Decision Makers’ Committee

Agree to attend Decision Makers’ committee meetings every 6 months If you are personally unable to attend agree to send a

representative

www.acreentry.org

Endorsement #2

Engagement of staff, constituency and/or department or agency

Where appropriate, commit staff to engage with the reentry network in their work

Encourage new and emerging programs and organizations to participate in the Reentry Network

www.acreentry.org

Endorsement #3

Adoption of priorities

Agree to commit resources to support reentry work within your district, agency and or department

Work with Reentry Network to raise county wide resources to support work in all cities and the unincorporated areas

www.acreentry.org

Commitment of Resources is not…

Shifting local/internal resources away from your district, agency or organization to other entities

A demand for new resources

Exclusively fiscal resources

www.acreentry.org

Commitment of Resources is…

Align resources and programs within your district, agency or organization with the Reentry Network’s Annual Priorities

Work with Reentry Network to collaboratively obtain new resources for county wide projects

Encourage recipients of new resources to connect and collaborate with the Reentry Network prior to implementation

www.acreentry.org