7.4: Common Factors of Successful Prison and Reentry Programs

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The poll and follow-up interviews reveal opportunities for engaging AAAs in supporting older inmates or those being released in the near future. The most important factor contributing to a successful initiative is a relationship between the AAA and the criminal justice system, whether it is a relationship with the local jail or prison in the AAA service area, a relationship with the local parole or probation department, or a contact at the state Department of Corrections. In instances where the jail or prison was not receptive to a partnership, implementing services in the jail or prison ultimately proved unrealistic. In many instances, partners in the criminal justice system (jail, prison, parole, probation, etc.) have recognized the limitations of the services they are able to provide and welcomed the partnership.

An additional predictor of a successful program is when the AAA and correctional system partner are housed within the same county, city government or Council of Governments structure. Having these departments housed under one institution facilitates coordination and communication. For example, the Schuyler County Office on Aging in New York is located in proximity to the probation and parole departments, as both are part of county government.

In Arlington, Virginia, the AAA and the local jail are also part of the same county government structure. Finally, securing buy-in from both staff and community members is essential. Programs benefit from staff who are willing to learn about the needs of older prisoners, and, at times, expand work scopes to accommodate a new initiative. In general, AAAs reported being pleased with support from the community to provide services to older prisoners and recently released individuals and shared that securing this support is another significant contributor to success.

Three Elements to Successful Reentry Programs for Inmates

1. Start early

Until recently, the focus of organizations and government agencies has been predominantly on release programs, while ignoring the significance of pre-release programs. The Federal Bureau of Prisons philosophy states, "release preparation begins the first day of incarceration, and focus on release preparation intensifies at least 18 months prior to release."

Successful reentry programs for inmates rely on more than just helping ex-offenders find jobs; it also requires helping offenders change their attitudes and beliefs about crime, addressing mental health issues, offering educational opportunities and job training, providing mentoring, and connecting them with community resources. Consideration should be given to providing most, if not all, of these things before a person’s release date.

2. Clients, not criminals

When some government agencies and social service organizations see "offenders", they can present a one-size fits all approach that ends up fitting no one. However, the Council for State Governments Justice Center suggests that employment programs need to move beyond traditional services. Instead, they recommend addressing individuals’ underlying attitudes about crime and work, making them more likely to succeed at getting and keeping jobs and less likely to reoffend. Not all offenders share the same levels of risk and learning how to accurately assess these attributes and deliver customized help is an important element to truly helping people get out of the criminal justice system.

3. Evaluate frameworks

According to the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, an organization that works to help improve the lives of low-income people, "There is a growing consensus that reentry strategies should build on a framework known as Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR)." The framework helps organizations assess individuals’ risk levels for recidivism and provide appropriate levels of response.

Models like Hawaii's Operation “HOPE” aim to change how we look at probation and post-incarceration monitoring. Since more than half of recidivism is a result of technical violations of parole, this is an important part of the reentry process to examine. By trying new methods, tracking efforts and outcomes, the desire is to move towards a system of reentry programs for inmates that serve their function while minimizing negative side effects.