Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2007, $427,439)
The Prisoner Reentry Initiative (PRI) is designed to provide funding to state units of government to develop and implement institutional and community corrections-based offender reentry programs. The PRI strengthens urban communities characterized by large numbers of returning offenders. The PRI is designed to reduce recidivism by helping returning offenders find work and assess other critical services in their communities. The PRI supports strategies to deliver pre- and post-release assessments and services, and to develop transition plans in collaboration with other justice and community-based agencies and providers for supervised and non-supervised offenders.
In an effort to increase programming for offenders in community corrections settings across the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC), Bureau of Community Corrections (BCC) will use FY2007 Re-entry funds to develop an assessment/placement model (pilot) for parolee referrals in a PDOC staffed and operated assessment center in each of the three geographical regions across the state. The pilot program will be conducted in Region I, the Philadelphia area.
The most salient objectives of the assessment center pilot project are: provide stability in the re-entry process; conduct comprehensive assessments of risk, needs, and responsivity factors; and provide standardized assessment services and treatment delivery. Meeting these objectives will ensure PA DOC meets its ultimate goal of reducing recidivism in the parole population.
The target population for this project will be parole referrals to the Philadelphia Region I Community Corrections Centers who are 18 and older and were convicted as an adult. Grant funds will be used to support assessment personnel, travel to Bureau of Justice Assistance mandated meetings, purchase office space and supplies for the assessment center, and pay training consultant fees.
CA/NCF