THE GREATER RESPONSE TO REENTRY Alameda County Reentry Network

THE GREATER RESPONSE TO REENTRY

Alameda County Reentry Network

Presentation Overview

Reentry in Alameda County

Responding to Reentry

Role of the Reentry Network

Outlook, Opportunities and Expectations

UNDERSTANDING THE REENTRY POPULATION

• POPULATION SIZE•GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION

• DEMOGRAPHICS •SERVICE NEEDS

Reentry in Alameda County

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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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 in the incarceration rate since 1980.

An estimated 700,000 people in the US are released from incarceration each year

Impact of Reentry on Communities

A University of California, Berkeley study attributes most of the black-white difference in AIDS infection to racial disparities in incarceration.

Among children born since 1990, 4 percent of whites and 25 percent of blacks will witness their father being sent to prison by their fourteenth birthday.

Reentry in Alameda County

In 2007 Alameda County had ___ people return from State prisons _____ people return from County Jail

As of June 2007 Alameda County had 20,092 adults under criminal justice supervision

1 in 100 persons in Alameda County are currently under criminal justice supervision

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

Reentry Population Service Needs

Income & Employment: sufficient income to handle the transitional period between release and a first pay check.

Education: access to education including GED, basic literacy skills and other needed education.

Health Care: continuity of care from incarceration to community especially for persons with chronic conditions.

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

Reentry Population Service Needs

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

Social Services: access to and information concerning available public benefits for which a person may qualify.

Family Services: access to services to help with family reunification, parenting, spousal relationships, etc.

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

Legal services: information and services concerning rights, record cleaning/expungement, restitution and child support payments, etc.

Reentry

The need to address reentry has been widely recognized and funding for programming and improved community corrections collaboration has been increasing (e.g. 2nd Chance Act)

Reentry programs make our streets safer, our communities more vibrant and our cities more livable and appealing to economic development

Successful models of county wide systems for addressing reentry are scarce

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK:

A NEEDED RESPONSE TO A RISING DEMAND

Responding to Reentry

How are we responding to Reentry?

Alameda County and its cities have recognized the need to address reentry and are currently: Increasing police presence 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

A County Wide Response

The Alameda County Reentry Network brings Reentry stakeholders from across the county together to address Reentry as the county wide problem that it is

Enables county wide planning, data collection, resource development and collaboration

Theoretical Foundation of Reentry Network

Desired Outcome

Recidivism is the result of…

Method to address recidivism

Reduce recidivism in order to increase public safety

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

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

Lack of connection to social networks capable of providing support

Establish connections to community social networks prior to release

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

Programming during incarceration that promotes healthy values

Inadequate human capital

Increase education and job training during incarceration including a plan for employment and training after release

What is the Reentry Network?

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

Reentry Network only created 2 new committees the others were built from the meetings and groups that were already meeting around these issues

ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

Decision Makers Committee

Composed of elected officials, city/county agency heads, correctional administrators and foundation leadership

Approves the Annual Plan for the upcoming year and then six months later to receives a Mid-Year Review from Coordinating Council

Works with Coordinating Council to take policy action and allocate resources based on Annual Plan

Coordinating Council

Representative of Reentry Network and Reentry stakeholders

Hub of the Reentry Network through which new information is disseminated

Coordinates various components of the Reentry Network to ensure a cohesive vision

Implementation Committee

Brings together staff from current reentry initiatives

Works to expand effective initiative-level reentry efforts

Composed of service providers and city/county agency staff working on initiatives (e.g. Measure Y)

Networking and Professional Development

Composed of servicer providers and community organizations

Provides regular professional development activities to meeting the needs of reentry service providers

Offers opportunities for networking and sharing of best practices between reentry service providers

HOW DOES THE REENTRY NETWORK FUNCTION AND WHAT DOES IT PROVIDE?

The Role of Reentry Network

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

StrategyAdvocacyFactsEfficiencyTeamworkYardstick

Strategy

A comprehensive county wide plan for providing effective services to the formerly incarcerated

Forum for new programs to learn about current work in Alameda County and identify where they would best support the work already happening

Coordinating Council provides birds eye view to ensure ongoing planning across Reentry Network

Advocacy

Develop policy, services and funding recommendations that will benefit Alameda County’s reentry population and their families

Include recommendations in Annual Plan and Mid-Year Report

Reentry Network works with members and county/city leadership to be efficient in advocacy activities

Facts

Current data and information on best practices and tools that inform policy makers, providers, the police and the general public

Data is posted on website and sent out throughout the Network to ensure accessibility

Collaborative works as a whole to obtain data reducing the burden on city, county and state agencies to fulfill multiple data requests

Efficiency

A county wide collaborative in place and prepared to address reentry related issues as they arise

A county wide collaborative capable of responding to potential funding opportunities that require a quick turnaround

Establishes a clear system for communication among reentry stakeholders to keep one another informed of important events, opportunities and issues

Teamwork

Collaboration, cooperation and coordination between reentry programs, initiatives and providers

Creates networking opportunities for identifying new partnerships and generating new ideas

Mechanism for connects wide range of stakeholders with one another to develop new partnerships and opportunities

Yardstick

A county wide set of measures to evaluate outcomes

Regularly updates progress in Annual Plan and Mid-Year Report

Provides new programs, funders, policy makers and others with an understanding of the various measures that impact Reentry

Reentry Network is a Promoter

Vehicle for promoting what works

Gives Alameda County a more cohesive voice to ensure that the needs of the formerly incarcerated are prioritized

THE FUTURE OF THE ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

Outlook, Opportunities and Expectations