Facilitating Community Re-Entry and Preventing Recidivism among 300 Women Leaving the Cleveland County Oklahoma Jail

The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of people who are released from prison and jail into communities and the subsequent challenges communities face as offenders attempt to reintegrate into society. 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.

Cleveland County Sheriff's Office will use the grant funds for the Cleveland County Jail Diversion and Re-entry Project. This project will focus on facilitating community re-entry and preventing recidivism among 300 women eeaving the Cleveland County Oklahoma Jail. Under the grant funds, the Cleveland County will use a restorative justice model, featuring community service by felons as a form of restitution. Activities will include providing direct assistance to victims, improvement of the rehabilitative capacity of the jail, engaging felons in productive activity, and offering diversion and re-entry in the form of community reintegration services.

CA/NCF