Successful Approaches to Transition and Reentry

1. Lessons emerging from the experience of U.S Department of Justice agencies— Bureau of Justice Assistance National Institute of Corrections Successful Approaches to Transition and Reentry

2. 11:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. Monday, February 1, 2010 Thurston Bryant, Policy Adviser, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs, USDOJ Kermit Humphries, Correctional Program Specialist, National Institute of Corrections, USDOJ Peggy Burke, Principal, Center for Effective Public Policy Gary Kempker, Senior Manager, Center for Effective Public Policy  APPA Winter Institute 2010

3. . • This workshop will provide participants with information on the accomplishments and learnings emerging from key Justice Department initiatives on Reentry:  • 1) state-wide trainings on reentry and; • 2) technical assistance in support of the PRI initiative both sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and • 3) the Transition from Prison and Jail to the Community Initiatives both sponsored by the National Institute of Corrections Session Goals

4. Participants will learn the core elements of successful reentry strategies as they are emerging from the work of both BJA and NIC with jurisdictions across the nation and participate in a review of practices in their own agencies. Learning Objectives

5. Overview • Training on Reentry • PRI Initiative By Thurston Bryant BJA Initiatives

6. The Reentry Initiative - 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 and is implemented through appropriate programs such as training and technical assistance: • The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program: National Initiatives - Enhancing Local Corrections and Offender Reentry Helps local communities improve the capacity of local justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. Funds can be used for national scope replication, expansion, enhancement, training, and/or technical assistance programs. • Community Safety Though Successful Offender Reentry • Prisoner Reentry Initiative Training and Technical Assistance Program Complements PRI by providing training and technical assistance to PRI grant and non-grant jurisdictions. Training and technical assistance will assist states, localities, and tribes in their efforts to develop, implement, and enhance their reentry initiatives through a range of activities such as the assessment of needs, implementation of programs, strategic planning, collaboration with faith and community-based partners, development of mentor programs, development of advisory groups, or other reentry activities. All training and technical assistance should focus on a reduction of recidivism and offender accountability. • PRI Training and Technical Assistance Provider for Fiscal Year 2007/2008 Grantees BJA REENTRY Initiatives on Training

7. Based on a curriculum developed under BJA sponsorship and based upon practitioner and research input • Pilot tested (2 states) and delivered in a total of 14 states—CO, CT, IA, KN, KY, MA, MO, NC, ND, NY, OK, OR, PA, WI • Focuses heavily upon best practices and evidence-based practice within the corrections arena State-wide trainings on reentry

8. Institutional and field staff • Paroling authority members • Community partners • All levels from line to top executive leadership • 250 (typical number of participants at each) • Organized into working groups of 10 each • Format: plenaries, work sessions, concurrent sessions Participants

9. Focused on a “framework” that included • Sound offender management practices • Leadership • Organizational change • Rational planning Highlights of the Training

10. Leadership and Organizational Change Offender Management Practices Rational Planning Process Multi-AgencyCollaboration

11. Incorporated information on current transition/reentry effort in the host state Combined visiting and home state faculty Highly participatory with work groups charged with providing recommendations TAILORING FOR EACH STATE

12. Highly rated by participants in terms of new and useful information Elicited commitments from participants about changes they would be willing and able to make to support more successful reentry Provided host agencies with specific action recommendations in a final report format Impacts

13. While knowledge about reentry is widespread, there are still many individuals at every level in correctional agencies for whom the topic is fairly new • Staff are interested in training in order to be able to do the assessments, and offender interactions needed to enhance motivation and successful reentry • Even for corrections staff to whom this is new territory, there seems to be a willingness to embrace successful reentry as a goal for their work. Lessons

14. Conducted in partnership with the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development and Labor The primary objective is the enhancement of public safety through the reduction of recidivism Presidential Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI)

15. Strengthening communities by helping offenders find work and access other critical services in their communities • Pre-release assessment • Programming and services • Transition planning • Post-release supervision • Coordination of services • Collaboration among governmental and community agencies BJA Presidential Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI)

16. Goal: assist grantees to achieve their goals and the goals of PRI by: • Developing, implementing and enhancing reentry efforts • Identify gaps and challenges in current reentry efforts and develop strategies to address those challenges • Make a range of training and technical assistance resources available PRI Training and Technical Assistance Program

17. Phase 1: Protect and Prepare – Institution based programming Phase 2: Control and Restore – Community based Phase 3: Sustain and Support – Community based long term support programs BJA Presidential Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI) Phases

18. Initial survey of sites to determine common needs and areas of interest Coaching Packets with topics based on input from participating sites Webinar Training sessions Individual on-site assistance Referral to resources Scope of Training and Technical Assistance for PRI

19. On-site assessment of reentry practices (NV) On-site coaching assistance (PA) Evidence-based practice training (CO) Facilitation of meetings to develop next steps (IN/TN) Off-site assistance in development of customer satisfaction survey (DC) Gender responsive training (FL/RI) Examples of PRI Technical Assistance

20. Coaching Packet Series 1: Policy and Practice Approaches • A framework of Reentry • Effective Case Management • Implementing Evidence-Based Practice PRI Coaching Packets

21. Coaching Packet Series 2: • Shaping Offender Behavior • Engaging Offenders’ Families in Preparation for Reentry • Building Offenders’ Community Assets through Mentoring • Reentry Considerations for Women Offenders PRI Coaching Packets

22. Coaching Packet Series 3: • Engaging in Meaningful Collaborative Partnerships to Support Reentry • Implementing a Rational Planning Process to Support a Strategic Reentry Effort • Measuring the Impact of Reentry Efforts PRI Coaching Packets

23. Review of some of the literature on the subject • Examples of the application of the research to everyday correctional practice • A tool to determine strengths and gaps in current policies and practices • Aid in developing plans to address identified gaps and challenges • References to additional resources on the subject Coaching Packet Content

24. Collaboration is essential among divisions of agencies (internal) Collaboration is essential with other governmental and community agencies (external) Despite what may appear as competing missions and goals, we all want the same thing – stronger and safer communities PRI lessons

25. TPC: Transition from Prison to Community - Center for Effective Public Policy • - and - • TJC: Transition from Jail to Community – • The Urban Institute Transition To Community Initiatives The National Institute of Corrections’ Kermit Humphries Program Specialist

26. NIC’s Interest in Transition • 1985-2000: Decision-making & Violations Policies ► Systems Change & Collaboration. • NIC has an overarching concern for public safety…. Taking Several Forms. • Big increases in number of released offenders each year. • Transition practices are often fragmented and compartmentalized. • Stakeholders compete rather than cooperate.

27. Involve multiple stakeholders Concentrate on reforming systems Transition starts at admission – or before Risk-reduction reforms are driven by evidence-based practices Monitor performance and evaluate Critical NIC/TPC/TJC Principles

28. Transition/Reentry Climate • Learned much since 2000: from theory to practice • Much more awareness and interest in offender’s returning to local communities • Not just the job of “corrections” anymore • Multiple agencies and organizations investing • Consistent and complimentary messages and tools • Economy is changing attitudes & opportunities

29. Transition From Jail to Community The Urban Institute; Amy Solomon, Project Director • Two Learning Sites over past year: Douglas County, KS, and Denver, CO • Four more jurisdictions began to receive two years’ implementation assistance Sept. 10: Orange County, CA Kent County, MI Lacross County, WI Davidson County, TN • Future products will document what is learned.

30. Transition From Prison to Community Center For Effective Public Policy; Peggy Burke, Project Director Phase I : Oregon, Missouri, Michigan, North Dakota, Indiana, New York, Rhode Island, Georgia (Began in 2001 and ended in 2009) Phase II : Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas. Wyoming, Iowa, Minnesota. (Began in November 2009 and will receive assistance for about 21/2 years.)

31. Offers a “framework” to guide the efforts of practitioners to reshape practice to enhance successful reentry from a “system” perspective Led by a state-wide policy team, supported by implementation and task teams Deliberately involves non-correctional partners Seeks to create a seamless process from first contact with the system through discharge Transition from Prison to the Community

32. Requires implementation of evidence-based practices • Includes guidance on performance measurement: • System change measures; • “Reentry indicator” measures; and • Public safety measures TPC Initiative

33. Involved 8 states during the first round: GA, IN, MI, MN, MO, NY, OR, RI…and 6 more during the current round: IA, KY, MN, TN, TX, WY Involves provision of on-site and off-site technical assistance (no funding), exchange of information with other sites Highlights

34. Supervision and Services Law Abiding Citizen Assessment and Classification Behavior and Programming Admission to Prison Release Preparation Release/ Revocation Violation Aftercare Discharge Sentencing The TPC Model Transition From Prison to Community Release Authority Community Supervision Prison Human Services Agencies Institutional Phase Community Phase Re-Entry Phase TPC Integrated Case Management IA, KY, MN, TN, TX, WY GA, IN, MI, MO, ND, NY, OR, RI Transition from Prison to Community Initiative

35. Change teams • Develop vision/mission • Assess current practices • Identify targets of change • Devise implementation and measurement strategy • Implement • Monitor/Adjust TPC Implementation roadmap

36. MISSOURI--Decreasing rates of recidivism (return to prison) 6 and 12 month follow-ups (23% down to 15%, 37% down to 30%) • GEORGIA—Upward trend in successful completions of parole 2005-2007 ( 66% up to 71%) • MICHIGAN--MPRI outcomes through August 2007 -- 26% improvement in total returns to prison (net 400 fewer returns to prison) Illustrative Impacts of TPC

37. Transition/Reentry is not just a corrections issue This is not just about more programs, it is about doing business differently Successful Transition/Reentry efforts are about community safety Measurable impacts are resulting from the efforts Lessons

38. TPC Model BJA Framework • Involves non correctional partners • Emphasizes evidence based practice • Encourages collaboration • Looks to good performance measurement • Seeks reduced recidivism and public safety • Focuses heavily on correctional practices • Emphasizes evidence based practice • Encourages collaboration • Looks to good performance measurement • Seeks reduced recidivism and public safety Contrast and convergence

39. Provides a framework for a systems approach to successful jail-to-community transition Joint ownership of the effort between jail and community Triage approach to interventions Built on screening and assessment Matching right person to right interventions Data to understand populations and measure performance Transition from Jail to the Community Initiative (TJC)

40. TJC MODEL Leadership, vision, Collaborative Self-evaluation Data-driven Targeted and organizational culture structure and and understanding intervention + + + + joint ownership sustainability of local reentry strategies JAIL COMMUNITY Screening & Assessment Transition Plan Targeted Interventions Information & referrals Formal services Informal support systems Case management Supervision System Elements - - Individual Intervention Elements Improved Outcomes

41. Implementing model in six jurisdictions Davidson County, TN; Denver County, CO; Douglas County, KS; Kent County, MI; and Orange County, CA Technical assistance and evaluation support provided Web-based implementation toolkit to assist the broader jail field TJC--Highlights

42. Varied due to great differences between sites Implementation of risk/needs screening and assessment Creation or invigoration of collaborative bodies to address criminal justice system issues Including justice system agencies and community partners Development of performance measurement capacity TJC Impacts

43. Good, evidence-based offender management practices, • A seamless approach to assessment and case management, supported by a single, evolving case plan based on a sound empirically-based assessment or risks and needs; • Adequate interventions targeted to offenders on the basis of risk and criminogenic need, • Identification and removal of systemic barriers to reentry for all offenders; • Strong collaboration among corrections and other public and community partners; • Organizational change strategies and good planning; • Agreement about performance measurement measures—and their collection and use to improve performance • Strong leadership Elements of a Successful transition/reentry strategy include:

44. A variety of resources including: • Program/service funding; • Building correctional staff (and their partners’) understanding, buy-in, and skills; • On and off-site technical assistance; and • Guidance of a “model or framework” can assist jurisdictions to address the many challenges of supporting successful transition and reentry. Conclusion

45. TPC Handbook http://nicic.org/Downloads/PDF/Library/022669.pdf SVORI Handbook http://www.cepp.com/documents/CEPP%20SVORI_final.pdf Download Documents

46. http://www.prisontransition.com/new.htm For a copy of this presentation