North Carolina’s Serious & Violent Offender ReEntry Initiative: Going Home

A Systemic Approach to Offender Reintegration Justice Systems Innovations NC Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities & Substance Abuse Services

Going Home Initiative Goals

• To ensure public safety by reducing recidivism through successful community reintegration.

• To create a sustainable transition & reentry process that ensures coordinated services & supervision for offenders released from prison.

• To establish a statewide network of government agencies, community & faith-based organizations, businesses & citizens committed to successful offender transition & reentry.

NC Reentry Cluster Communities

Region 3 Region 2 Region 1 Cherokee 30 30 Graham Swain 30 Clay 30 Macon 30 Region 4 Jackson 30 Haywood 30 Madison 24 Buncombe 28 Transylvania 29 Henderson 29 23 Ashe Alleghany 23 Surry 17 Stokes 17 Mitchell 24 Yancey 24 24 Watauga Wilkes 23 Yadkin 23 Forsyth 21 29 Polk 29 Avery 24 McDowell 29 Caldwell Burke Rutherford 25 25 27 Cleveland Alexander 22 Iredell 22 Catawba 25 Lincoln 27 27 Gaston Davie 22 Rowan 19 26 Mecklenburg Cabarrus 19 Davidson 22 Stanly 20 Rockingham 17 Guilford 18 Randolph 19 19 Montgomery Moore 20 Caswell 9 Orange 15 Chatham 15 Lee 11 Person 9 Harnett 11 9 Granville Wake 10 12 Cumberland 9 Vance 9 Franklin Johnston 11 Union 20 Anson 20 Richmond 20 16 Scotland Hoke 16 Sampson 4 9 Warren 7 Nash Wilson 7 8 Wayne Duplin 4 6 Halifax 7 Edgecombe 8 Greene 8 Lenoir Northampton 6 3 Pitt 2 Martin 4 Jones 3 Craven 4 Onslow 6 Hertford 6 Bertie 1 Gates 2 Beaufort 3 Pamlico 3 Carteret 2 Washington Robeson 16 13 Bladen Pender 5 2 Tyrrell 2 Hyde 13 Columbus 13 Brunswick New Hanover 5 Dare 1

North Carolina’s Offender Re-entry Process

Phase 1: Division of Prisons

•Make a plan for the offender’s reentry •Participate in programs such as education, substance abuse & mental health treatment, life skills & job training

Phase 2: Community Reentry

•Ongoing review & monitoring of the offender’s reentry plan •Participate in programs for needed services, such as supervised housing, job placement, education & treatment

Phase 3: Long-term Support

•Long-term accountability for reentry plan •Participate in aftercare treatment, ongoing mentoring, & support groups via community-based organizations Offender Management Model (OMM)

Clinical Assessment Individualized Case Plan Employment Mental Health Services CBI Transportation Education/ Voc Training Substance Abuse Svcs Medical Services Housing/Food/ Clothing Continuous Case Management and Case Staffing

Target Population • Released from prison with at least 90 days

of community supervision (e.g., parole or post-release supervision)

• Age 18-35 at time of release • Going home to one of the cluster

communities (see map)

Target Population Profile

Variable Crime Group Crime Category Race Age Group 18-21 22-27 28-35 Reading Level (median) DART Assignment SMI Diagnosis Western

Public Order (56%) DWI (50%) Assault (20%) White (65%) 11% 37% 52% 8.3 – 8.8

76% 9%

Wake/Durham

Personal (73%) Robbery (37%) Assault (23%) Black (81%) 13% 49% 38% 9.8 – 10.2

57% 5%

Eastern

Personal (57%) Assault (27%) Robbery (23%) DWI (23%) Black (75%) 14% 37% 49% 9.3 – 9.8

57% 8%

Phase 1: Institution

• Plan for the offender’s reentry • Participation in programs such as

academic & vocational education, substance abuse, & life skills

• Work on the unit or through work

release, or participate in vocational programs or job training

• Receive medical & mental health

treatment as needed

Institution Process

• Generate list of eligible

inmates 12-15 months prior to release

• Review list, verify

eligibility, & contact case managers

• Discuss Going Home

Initiative & schedule initial meeting

Institution Process (contd)

• Review inmate’s file • Conduct Team meeting

w/ Case Manager & Inmate (w/in 12 mos.)

• Complete needs

assessment, OTI & Common Assessment

• Modify case plan • Conduct Team meeting

w/ Case Manager & Inmate (w/in 6 mos.)

• Review case plan • Make recommendations

for conditions of release

• Conduct Team meeting

with Case Manager & Inmate (prior to release)

• Review case plan & make

initial recommendations for community case plan

• Develop release schedule

Intended Outcomes

• Improve coordination of program & service

delivery in prison

• Identify transition & reentry needs earlier • Increase accountability for expected outcomes • Institute an outcome-oriented case planning

process

• Initiate a seamless transition from prison to the

community

DOC Programs, Policies & Procedures

• Education (academic &

vocational)

• Vocational Rehabilitation • Drug/Alcohol Recovery

Treatment (DART)

• Character Education • Transition Aftercare

Network (TAN)

• Employment (Work

Release, Corrections Enterprise)

• Cognitive Behavioral

Interventions (CBI)

• JOBSTART/JOBSTART II

(Job Preparation for Offenders)

• Mutual Agreement Parole

Program (MAPP)

• New Case Management

policy

• New Transition policy • Transition Envelope

Phase 2: Community Reentry

• Ongoing review & monitoring

of offender’s reentry plan

• Participate in programs for

needed treatment & services, such as supervised housing, job search & placement, academic & vocational education & treatment

• Develop mentoring relationship

& supportive networks

Community Process

• Initiate 24-hour shadow (community mentor) • Establish basic support system • Begin probation supervision • Develop community case plan with expanded Transition Team • Monitor case plan • Participation in programs & services • Focus on housing, employment & mentoring • Continue on-going case management

Intended Outcomes

• Re-assess offender for risk & need • Monitor outcome-oriented case planning • Increase accountability for expected outcomes • Improve program & service delivery system in

the community

• Emphasize specific transition issues such as

housing, employment, mentoring & treatment

Phase 3: Long-term Support

• Identify goals for long-

term accountability

• Participate in

continuing care, mentoring & support groups

• Continue monitoring

of reentry plan

Long-term Process

• Provide supportive network for offender • Build capacity of community partners to

provide supportive network for offenders

• Promote and cultivate relationships among

network partners

• Conduct training and provide technical

assistance and workshops

Intended Outcomes

• Establish long-term support & networks in

the community

• Build capacity of communities to hold

offenders accountable

• Build capacity of community-based

organizations to support offenders in transition

• Share accountability for expected outcomes

Keys to Offender Reintegration

An interlocking process involving the correctional system w/ state & local partners: Pre-release planning & preparation Post-release transitioning & supervision On-going community support Close supervision from day of release through transition by probation/parole officers, in concert w/ local law enforcement & community-based partners, is essential for keeping the offender focused on his/her reintegration case plan.

Post-Release Supervision

• Close supervision monitoring of

the offender from the day of release through the end of the transitional phase by probation/ parole officers, in concert with local law enforcement & other community-based partners.

• This is crucial to keeping the

offender on task in pursuing his or her reintegration case plan.

The Four C’s of Partnering

Collaboration

A spirit of willing cooperation & mutual respect that allows different entities to share a common vision to contribute to the process.

Coordination

A sequenced plan of action, agreed to by all parties, delineating who will do what, when & for what duration.

Commitment

A good-faith pledge by all partners to do whatever each has resources to do, with no concern for who gets credit.

Communication

The free sharing of information and knowledge.

5. Reintegration Culminates in the Community

• The ultimate challenge of the

reintegration process occurs in the community.

• The community partners

who will assume primary respons-ibility in this stage must be increasingly involved in the process as it progresses, ensuring continuity of support leading to offender reintegration.

Objectives of the Local Partner Process

• Increased understanding of the criminal justice

system, corrections & offenders

• Enhanced ability to respond to public safety

issues, as well as community concerns

• Integrated local resources & agency work • Enhanced problem-solving skills around

common interests

• An educated, diverse core group that can explain

program & resource needs for system integration

Local Partner Process: Critical Elements

• Define a mechanism to

facilitate two-way communication; All parties directly involved must be committed to the mechanism

• Representation from all

appropriate segments of the community

• Define the roles &

responsibilities of each partner

• Direct involvement in

decision-making process

• Clearly defined procedures

to hold each other accountable

• Each partner’s needs &

limitations are acknow ledged & addressed

• Orientations for all

partners to learn about each other

Local Partner “to do list”

• Develop leadership structure • Develop regular meeting schedule • Develop local Memoranda of Understanding &

standard operating procedures

• Tour local prison & build relationships with staff • Conduct resource mapping in major need areas: housing,

employment, mentoring/life coaching & treatment

• Develop job description for contractual JobLink staff • Build network capacity by participating in training &

requesting technical assistance