Adult Reentry and Employment Planning

The Second Chance Act (Public Law 110–199) seeks a comprehensive response for incarcerated adults who are released from prison or jail, and returning to their communities. Over 2.1 million individuals are incarcerated in federal and state prisons, and millions of people cycle through local jails every year. Ninety-five percent of all offenders incarcerated in state prisons will eventually be released. Securing meaningful employment can facilitate successful reentry for offenders leaving correctional facilities. However, there are many barriers that offenders with criminal records encounter as they attempt to re-enter both the community and the workforce. Improving employment outcomes for this population may contribute to recidivism reduction and increased public safety. However, some communities simply do not have enough resources for corrections, reentry, and workforce development to provide every adult offender leaving incarceration with services that may assist them in reentering the community. The purpose of the Adult Reentry and Employment Strategic Planning Program is to fund the development of strategic plans that are comprehensive, collaborative, and multisystemic in their approach to increase public safety by reducing recidivism and improving employability in offenders returning to communities from incarceration. These plans should include an assessment of the current system and propose solutions to make assessment-driven referrals to ensure successful transition from correctional facilities to the community. The recipient will use award funds to develop programing aimed at reduce recidivism among newly released offenders by addressing education and employment barriers that many individuals face upon release. In particular, the grantee seeks to develop a comprehensive Adult Reentry Strategic Plan designed to improve criminal justice system alignment across state and local agencies that will lead to better long-term outcomes for newly released offenders. The target population for this project are detained offenders, 25 and older, returning to high poverty/high crime areas in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, and East Baton Rouge Parishes. CA/NCF

The purpose of the Adult Reentry and Employment Strategies Planning Program (34 USC 10741; Pub. L. No. 116-93, 133 Stat 2317, 2408) is to build an integrated approach through the opportunity to implement new policies, procedures, and practices in order to assist workforce authorities, and their jurisdictional corrections partners, to create and enhance employment pathways for people leaving incarceration and post-release supervision. This includes taking the steps to rethink procurements, programmatic measures, employment-related transitional resources.

The recipient will use award funds to support and continue implementing the Adult Reentry and Employment Strategic Planning Program. In an effort to reduce recidivism among newly released offenders, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPSC) has partnered with the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) to address education and employment barriers that many individuals face upon release. In particular, DPSC will implement key strategies and activities identified in the Louisiana Adult Reentry and Employment Strategic Plan to improve criminal justice system alignment across state and local agencies that will lead to better long-term outcomes for newly released offenders. DPSC and LWC target populations are detained offenders, 18-35 years of age, returning to high poverty/high crime areas in St. Tammany and Jefferson Parishes. The correctional facility selected for implementation is the St. Tammany Parish Prison and Regional Reentry Center. Once implemented, DPSC plans to serve approximately 50 returning offenders over a 12-month period.

NCA/NCF

The Second Chance Act (Public Law 110–199) seeks a comprehensive response for incarcerated adults who are released from prison or jail, and returning to their communities. Over 2.1 million individuals are incarcerated in federal and state prisons, and millions of people cycle through local jails every year. Ninety-five percent of all offenders incarcerated in state prisons will eventually be released.

Securing meaningful employment can facilitate successful reentry for offenders leaving correctional facilities. However, there are many barriers that offenders with criminal records encounter as they attempt to re-enter both the community and the workforce. Improving employment outcomes for this population may contribute to recidivism reduction and increased public safety. However, some communities simply do not have enough resources for corrections, reentry, and workforce development to provide every adult offender leaving incarceration with services that may assist them in reentering the community.

The purpose of the Adult Reentry and Employment Strategic Planning Program is to fund the development of strategic plans that are comprehensive, collaborative, and multisystemic in their approach to increase public safety by reducing recidivism and improving employability in offenders returning to communities from incarceration. These plans should include an assessment of the current system and propose solutions to make assessment-driven referrals to ensure successful transition from correctional facilities to the community.

The recipient will use award funds to develop programing aimed at reduce recidivism among newly released offenders by addressing education and employment barriers that many individuals face upon release. In particular, the grantee seeks to develop a comprehensive Adult Reentry Strategic Plan designed to improve criminal justice system alignment across state and local agencies that will lead to better long-term outcomes for newly released offenders. The target population for this project are detained offenders, 25 and older, returning to high poverty/high crime areas in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Tammany, and East Baton Rouge Parishes.

CA/NCF

In an effort to reduce recidivism among newly released offenders, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) has partnered with the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) to address education and employment barriers that many individuals face upon release. In particular, DPS&C is seeking funding to implement key strategies and activities identified in the Louisiana Adult Reentry and Employment Strategic Plan to improve criminal justice system alignment across state and local agencies. As well as, address public stigma of formerly incarcerated individuals utilizing a public information campaign that will lead to better long-term outcomes for newly released offenders.

The effectiveness of Louisiana’s traditional incarceration paradigm has been problematic with statewide recidivism rates of 14.4% after the first year; 28% after the second year; 36.1% after the third year; 38.8% after the fourth year; and 42.7% after the fifth year. Recidivism rates are more pronounced for offenders housed in local jails versus state institutions, where recidivism rates are 16.4% after the first year; 30.5% after the second year; 39% after the third year; 41.4% after the fourth year; and 45.8% after the fifth year. This “recycling effect” is known to be detrimental to family and community cohesion, employment prospects, economic well-being and family stability, while also exacerbating other problems such as homelessness, domestic violence, and additional substance abuse.

DPS&C and LWC target populations are detained offenders, 18-35 years of age, returning to high poverty/high crime areas in Caddo, Rapides, and Tangipahoa parishes. Program participants must be non-sex offenders, excluding prostitution; possess a high school diploma, GED, or Hi-Set at time of release; medically suitable for identified career tracks; possess the cognitive capacity for the career identified; and willing to participate in DPS&C ARES project. The correctional facilities selected for implementation are the Caddo Parish Prison, Raymond Laborde Correctional Center, and Tangipahoa Parish Prisons.  Once implemented, DPSC plans to serve approximately 80 returning offenders over a 12-month period based on current prison population data, number of prisoners enrolled in education programs, and the number of prisoners that expressed interest in welding, automotive and maritime careers.