Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative - Genesee County

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 FY 2008, BJA will again coordinate the PRI Program with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The design of the FY 2008 PRI Program is structured to work in conjunction with a DOL-selected faith ' or community-based organization (FBCO).

The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) will use FY 2008 PRI funds to provide re-entry services for Genesee County. The goals are to promote public safety by reducing the threat of harm to persons and their property by released offenders and increase success rates of former prisoners by fostering effective risk management and treatment programming, accountability, and community and victim participation.

The Saginaw Correctional Facility (SRF) is the reentry prison and currently provides many core elements of essential cognitive behavioral programs and services as part of Phase I and II of the Michigan PRI Model.

The Genesee County PRI Plan contains four components: 1) prisoner assessment and planning; 2) pre-release services for prisoners; 3) prison in-reach and transition planning for prisoners; and 4) post-release supervision and services for former prisoners. During the initial phase of pre-release assessment and program planning at SRF, individualized Collaborative Case Management and Supervision Plans (CCMSPs) will be developed utilizing COMPAS and the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Index (SASSI) to determine programming based on specific needs and risks. Employment Readiness Specialists (ERSs) will provide programming in conjunction with prison staff to address prisoner's individual employment-related issues and needs as they prepare for release to parole.

Pre-release programming will include evidence-based Cognitive-Behavioral Restructuring to improve the prisoner's abilities with regard to social and behavioral issues. The targeted area of employment will initially be addressed within the Phase II TAP by the Transition Teams including a competitively-selected Faith-Based or Community Organization (FBCO). Following release, provision for suitable housing, substance abuse, mental health and other service needs will be made according to assessed need, and re-assessed on an ongoing basis.

Five agencies are collaborating to provide services to returning prisoners, promoting their successful reentry back into the community: 1) Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC)--inmate custody/education/training, the parole decision process and parolee supervision; 2) Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH)--physical and mental health, alcohol and drug addiction services; 3) Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth (MDLEG)--housing, adult education, vocational training, employment preparation and employment; 4) Michigan Department of Education (MDOE)--adult education: and 5) Michigan Department of Human Services (MDHS)--family and child welfare. These agencies work to implement MPRI through a number of teams and workgroups which meet regularly to develop the policies and procedures needed to meet the goals of the MPRI.

CA/NCF