Reentry

The high-crime/high-risk areas that become Weed and Seed sites have large numbers of returning offenders who will become reinvolved in crime unless there is a focused effort to control reentry through judicial, correctional, and law enforcement supervision. Successful reentry initiatives provide support through existing service systems, such as those involving mental health, employment, substance abuse prevention, housing, welfare, faith-based, and transportation services. Reentry programs should satisfy both the "weeding" and "seeding" sides of the Weed and Seed strategy: funding can be used to manage and supervise the returning offender populations (through law enforcement, corrections, and judicial systems) and to develop support services as well. Recent findings by the Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons support CCDO's emphasis on a comprehensive approach to reentry and are consistent with CCDO's 2007 funding guidelines.

The Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ's) comprehensive effort that addresses both juvenile and adult populations of serious, high-risk offenders, is already active in many communities. CCDO strongly recommends sites consider dedicating a significant amount of their resources to implement a focused reentry effort; one site has committed all of its resources and is a special emphasis site on reentry.

In addition, CCDO is partnering with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to develop joint national service projects to support reentry using VISTA volunteers. CCDO also works on reentry issues with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), which helps resident-led, community-based development organizations. LISC's Community Safety Initiative is developing and testing models for addressing the challenges of prisoner reentry, particularly as it relates to the housing environment facing the returning population and public safety issues, and has developed a CD-ROM that contains a prisoner reentry housing training curriculum. The initiative is focusing DOJ resources on site grants as well as on the development of a reentry training curriculum for landlords and property managers.

Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative

Reentry Initiative Resources Reentry Initiative Web site State reentry activities and resources

The Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative—which was developed by DOJ's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) in conjunction with other federal partners—is a comprehensive effort that addresses both juvenile and adult populations of serious, high-risk offenders. It provides funding to develop, implement, enhance, and evaluate reentry strategies that will ensure the safety of the community and the reduction of serious, violent crime. This is accomplished by preparing targeted offenders to successfully return to their communities after having served a significant period of secure confinement in a state training school, juvenile or adult correctional facility, or other secure institution.

The initiative represents a new way of doing business for federal, state, and local agencies. Instead of focusing the initiative on a competition for a limited amount of discretionary funds, the federal partners are coming together to help state and local agencies navigate the complex field of existing state formula and block grants and to assist them in accessing, redeploying, and leveraging those resources to support all components of a comprehensive reentry program. The discretionary funding available through this initiative will be provided only to fill any gaps in existing federal, state, and local resources.

Communities selected to participate in the initiative will be able to develop state-of-the-art reentry strategies and to acquire knowledge that will contribute to the establishment of national models of best practices. The initiative allows the community to identify current gaps in its reentry strategy and to present a developmental vision for reentry that seeks to fill those gaps and sustain the overall strategy. Additionally, communities can enhance existing reentry strategies with training and technical assistance that will build community capacity to effectively, safely, and efficiently reintegrate returning offenders.

Special Emphasis Site: A Focus on Reentry in Fort Wayne, Indiana

The Fort Wayne/Allen County Weed and Seed site focuses exclusively on offenders returning from prison to the southeast quadrant of the city. It is and has been for years considered an area within the city responsible for significant and sustained serious and violent crime, a large percentage of which is committed by the returning offender population.

The weeding portion of the program involves an array of control or law enforcement functions, including the police and judicial, local, and state corrections systems. Site staff individually assess offenders for their strengths and weaknesses in education, employment, housing, risk to the community, mental health and health needs, substance abuse, criminal history, and community/familial support networks, and a corresponding reentry plan is created.

The seeding portion involves support services dealing with remedial education, employment readiness, job development, mental health/health, substance abuse treatment, housing, and the development of support systems and networks involving family, faith-based, and neighborhood organizations. Many of these services are provided by the existing community organizations as well as by the corrections center staff.

For more information on Fort Wayne, read the summer 2005 issue of In-Sites.

VISTA Reentry Initiative

CNCS is collaborating with DOJ and the U.S. Department of Labor to develop joint national service projects to support reentry. CNCS plans to engage more than 20 full-time AmeriCorps*VISTA members who will build the capacity of organizations; create volunteer hubs in partnership with participating cities and grassroots, faith-based and community groups; and mobilize volunteer support for reentry initiatives in these cities.

Contact NCJRS for more information on reentry.