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Stark County Re-Entry Court Initiative

Award Information

Award #
2009-CY-BX-0056
Location
Awardee County
Stark
Congressional District
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2009
Total funding (to date)
$500,000

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $125,000)

The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199) reflects a comprehensive response to the increasing number of people who are released from prison and jail and returning to communities. There are currently 2.3 million people serving time in our federal and state prisons, and millions of people cycling through local jails every year. Ninety-five percent of all prisoners incarcerated today will eventually be released and will return to communities. The Second Chance Act will help ensure the transition people make from prison or jail to the community is safe and successful. Section 101 of the Act, in addition to providing grants to state and local governments and federally recognized Indian tribes that may be used for demonstration reentry projects, also allows for the establishment of a National Adult and Juvenile Offender Reentry Resource Center.

The Second Chance Act Prisoner Reentry Initiative provides funding to state and local governments and federally recognized Indian tribes for demonstration projects to promote the safe and successful reintegration into the community of individuals who have been incarcerated. Funded demonstration projects will use validated and dynamic assessment tools to determine the risks and needs of offenders.

Projects will provide offenders in prisons or jails with all necessary services to facilitate reentry into the community. In addition, the projects will develop procedures to ensure that dangerous felons are not released from prison prematurely and provide services that address treatment needs and protect communities against dangerous offenders Allowable uses of funds to enhance a successful transition include: pre-release assessment and case planning, mentoring, housing, education, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, services to enhance family reunification, job training and readiness, and post-release case management and supervision.

Stark County Common Pleas will use the FY 2009 Second Chance Act Prisoner Reentry Initiative funds to support the Stark County Common Pleas Reentry Court with the Stark County Re-Entry Court Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to facilitate the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's (ODRC) Plan For Productive Offender Reentry and Recidivism Reduction process by connecting offenders to reentry services. The ODRC Plan For Productive Offender Reentry and Recidivism Reduction will encompass six areas that will affect offender reentry: (1) offender planning and tracking; (2) offender programming; (3) discharge planning and employment; (4) family involvement; (5) offender supervision; and (6) community justice partnerships. The grant funds will be used to: (1) hire a reentry court community liaison; (2) provide subsidized on-the-job training subsidized on-the-job training for offenders; (3) provide funds to offenders to pay for the first month's rent, transitional housing, or homelessness prevention programs; (4) offer services for victims and their families; and (5) support mentoring services for the offenders.

CA/NCF

Date Created: September 3, 2009