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Vermont- A Systems Approach to Reentry

Award Information

Award #
2014-CZ-BX-0022
Location
Awardee County
Washington
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2014
Total funding (to date)
$3,000,000

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2014, $1,000,000)

The Second Chance Act (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of incarcerated adults and juveniles who are released from prison, jail, and juvenile residential facilities and returning to communities. The Second Chance Act Programs are designed to help communities develop and implement comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by offender reentry and recidivism reduction.

Section 101 of the Second Chance Act authorizes federal awards to states that may be used for demonstration projects to promote the safe and successful reintegration into the community of individuals who have been incarcerated or detained and reduce overall recidivism rates. The goal of Section 101 of the Second Chance Act is to provide support to eligible applicants, in this case state departments of corrections, for the development and implementation of comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by reentry to increase public safety and reduce recidivism. The objectives of the Statewide Adult Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan Implementation Program are to fund, at the state level, effective strategies for reducing recidivism and enhancing public safety which incorporate the following principles: (1) focus on the people most likely to commit more crimes; (2) use evidenced-based programs proven to work and ensure the delivery of services is high quality; (3) deploy supervision policies and practices that balance sanctions and treatment; and (4) target places where crime and recidivism rates are the highest.

The grantee will use the grant to implement a comprehensive plan based on the fundamental principles of evidenced-based corrections based practices. The implementation plan has six major strategies covering the areas of policy development, staff training, integrating case management amongst community partners, increasing quality assurance, using validated risk and needs assessments, and establishing an evidenced-based domestic violence program. The goals of the project are to: 1) Enhance information sharing across departments and with key reentry partners; 2) Increase quality assurance practices; 3) Increase staff development through training, performance expectations, and oversight and accountability; 4) Invest in programs that address criminogenic needs; 5) Create and institutionalize policies and procedures that support reentry; and 6) reduce recidivism.

CA/NCF

Date Created: September 22, 2014