Iowa Reentry and Employment Training Project (IRETP)

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 grantee will use award funds to develop a multi-agency strategic plan that addresses reentry and employment readiness for adults being released from Iowa prisons. The grantee will conduct a comprehensive gap analysis process and systems mapping and create a multisystemic and collaborative strategic plan to increase reentry and employment success for incarcerated individuals returning to Polk County. The target area and population will be all moderate to high risk offenders as identified by the Iowa Violence and Victimization Instrument (IVVI) who will be released from any of the primary releasing institutions in Iowa.

CA/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 grantee will use award funds to develop a multi-agency strategic plan that addresses reentry and employment readiness for adults being released from Iowa prisons. The grantee will conduct a comprehensive gap analysis process and systems mapping and create a multisystemic and collaborative strategic plan to increase reentry and employment success for incarcerated individuals returning to Polk County. The target area and population will be all moderate to high risk offenders as identified by the Iowa Violence and Victimization Instrument (IVVI) who will be released from any of the primary releasing institutions in Iowa.

CA/NCF