Note:
This awardee has received supplemental funding. This award detail page includes information about both the original award and supplemental awards.
Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2010, $160,730)
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. Section 111 of the Second Chance Act authorizes the creation of state, local, and tribal reentry courts to monitor offenders and provide them with the treatment services needed to establish a self-sustaining and law-abiding life. The Second Chance Act State, Local, and Tribal Reentry Courts Grant Program 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. Reentry courts are specialized courts that help reduce recidivism and improve public safety through the use of judicial oversight to apply graduated sanctions and positive reinforcement; to marshal resources to support the prisoner's reintegration; and to promote positive behavior by the returning prisoners. The goal of a reentry court is to establish a seamless system of offender accountability and support services throughout the reentry process. These courts may be implemented as part of an overall drug court program.
Focused on the back-end of the criminal justice system, the reentry court should be designed to leverage partnerships between courts and corrections to facilitate successful offender reintegration. While reentry court approaches vary based on the laws and needs of a jurisdiction, the core components of a reentry court are standard and must include: 1) assessment and planning; 2) active oversight; 3) management of support services; 4) accountability; 5) graduated, swift-and-certain sanctions; and 6) rewards for success.
Strafford County Commissioners will use the FY 2010 grant funds to fund the Services Delivery/Judicial Supervision/Drug Testing/Treatment (SCDC) program. The goal of the initiative will be to continue to provide the coordinated leadership necessary to establish cohesive public policies, and enhance public safety. This will be accomplished by ensuring that program participants have access to jail reentry programs, including effective substance abuse treatment, housing, vocational training, and educational services that hold offenders accountable and controls societal costs. The SCDC is a 3 phase-court program, with 4 levels of Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment. The Strafford County Department of Corrections (SCDOC) will provide rehabilitative programming to the inmate population including discharge planning and mental health assessments.
Under the grant funds, SCCJC will hire 2 Reentry Specialists to work with the Therapeutic Rehabilitative Programs. These Specialists will allow for a seamless transition from the Therapeutic Rehabilitative Programs, prior to Sentencing to Drug Court, while addressing pre-release needs such as housing and post release needs such as attaining healthcare benefits, educational and vocational services, child reunification and other quality of life issues. The staff will work with the Reentry-Drug Court Participants on securing housing and employment to integrate back into the community. Staff will assist with calls and transport to housing related activities. To assist with the transport, the grant funds will also fund a Leased-County operated vehicle to transport participants to relevant community agencies. The Health Care Entitlement Programs will provide the offenders with services to help them obtain health and welfare related services.
CA/NCF