National Reentry Resource Center

February 2010 National Reentry Resource Center Newsletter

FEATURES

Second Chance Act: Programs Funded in 2010

For 2010, Congress approved $100 million for seven new Second Chance Act grant programs, as well as for the two grant programs funded in 2009. Five of the new programs provide funds that can be used by state and local governments and Indian tribes to improve reentry-related services, and two of the new programs provide funds to support reentry-related research.

To learn more about these new grant programs, please click here.

President Obama Discusses Reentry at Town Hall Meetings

At recent town hall meetings in Ohio and Florida, President Barack Obama received questions from audience members about the challenges that confront individuals recently released from prisons or jails. In response, the President pointed to the Second Chance Act as an example of how the federal government is supporting efforts to make these transitions safer and more successful. He commended the bipartisan work that led to the passage of the Second Chance Act. At the Ohio meeting, he said that when people have made mistakes, particularly young people, "it is in all of our interests to help them redeem themselves and then get on a straight path."

Hill Update

On February 1, 2010, the Office of Management and Budget released the President's Budget for FY 2011. Highlights of the budget related to criminal justice include a 29 percent increase in monies to combat violence against women, continued support for strengthening and expanding local law enforcement agencies, funding to address place-based efforts to combat crime, and support for improving reentry outcomes for individuals recently released from corrections facilities. Specific reentry-related items include

$100 million for the Office of Justice Programs to administer grant programs authorized by the Second Chance Act
$30 million for residential substance abuse treatment programs in state and local prisons and jails.

The President's Budget now goes to Congress for review.

Funding Opportunities

Child Well-being and the Impact of Parental Incarceration,Stoneleigh Center
According to the solicitation for this program:
Barriers to the successful reunification of families and improving child well-being following the incarceration of a parent are substantial, but not insurmountable. To address these barriers, Stoneleigh Center is interested in supporting the following kinds of projects to improve the well-being of children and their families after a parent is incarcerated:
- Research to help us better understand the issues children and families face upon reunification after a parent is incarcerated and how best to address them.
- Efforts to develop or change policies that better support these children and families as they attempt to rebuild their lives and relationships.
- Efforts to develop effective programs for improving family functioning when a parent returns from prison.
- Cross-system strategies that improve coordination of information and services among the child welfare, juvenile justice and adult correctional systems to support family reunification.
Applications are due by February 10, 2010. For more information, click here.

Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
According to the solicitation for this program:
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2010 Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity in Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts (short title: SAMHSA Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts). The purpose of this program is to expand and/or enhance substance abuse treatment services in "problem solving" courts which use the juvenile drug court model in order to provide alcohol and drug treatment, recovery support services supporting substance abuse treatment, screening, assessment, case management, and program coordination to juvenile defendants/offenders. Priority for the use of the funding should be given to addressing gaps in the existing continuum of treatment.... Eligibility is restricted to existing individual Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts or their Tribal/State or local governmental proxies who may apply on their behalf. Grantees from the FY 2009 cohort for the Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment Capacity for Juvenile Drug Courts program are not eligible to apply.

Applications are due by February 23, 2010. For more information, click here.

Solicitation for Second Chance Act Grants to State and Local Governments, U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance

On December 22, 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) released the solicitation for Second Chance Act grant applications to state and local governments for adult and juvenile reentry demonstration projects (Section 101). Funding under this section is available to help state and local agencies implement programs and strategies to reduce recidivism and ensure the safe and successful reentry of adults and juveniles released from prisons and jails back to the community.

The deadline for applications is 8:00 p.m. ET on March 4, 2010.

Inquiries about the solicitation should be directed to Dr. Gary L. Dennis, senior policy advisor for corrections, Bureau of Justice Assistance, at 202-305-9059 or gary.dennis@usdoj.gov. Inquiries about the juvenile-related requirements of this solicitation should be directed to Thomas Murphy, grants program specialist, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at 202-353-9059 or thomas.murphy@usdoj.gov.

BJA will issue other Second Chance Act solicitations, including the request for Section 211 grant applications from nonprofit agencies/organizations, at a later date.

In 2009, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, with funding support from the Public Welfare Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Open Society Institute, developed a fact sheet about the demonstration grant program and an application checklist for state and local governments. The resource center recently updated these materials.
- To view the updated checklist, click here.
- To view the updated fact sheet, click here.
To learn more about the Second Chance Act, click here.

Solicitation for Second Chance Act Mentoring Grants to Nonprofit Organizations, U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance
On January 19, 2010, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, released the solicitation for Second Chance Act mentoring grants to nonprofit organizations (Section 211). Funding under this section is available to help nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Indian tribes implement mentoring projects to promote the safe and successful reintegration into the community of adults who have been incarcerated.
The deadline for applications is 8:00 p.m. ET on March 18, 2010.

Inquiries about the solicitation should be directed to Dr. Gary L. Dennis, senior policy advisor for corrections, Bureau of Justice Assistance, at 202-305-9059 or gary.dennis@usdoj.gov.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, will release a solicitation for mentoring grants targeting juveniles returning from correctional facilities later this spring.

Click here to learn more about the Second Chance Act.

Seek, Test, and Treat: Addressing HIV in the Criminal Justice System, National Institutes of Health
According to the solicitation for this program:
This initiative solicits R01 applications to empirically test the seek, test, and treat paradigm in criminal justice populations. The seek, test, and treat model involves reaching out to high risk, hard to reach groups who have not been recently tested (seek), engaging them in HIV testing (test), and initiating, monitoring, and maintaining HAART for those testing positive (treat). Researchers are encouraged to develop, implement, and test strategies to increase HIV testing and the provision of HAART to HIV seropositive individuals involved with the criminal justice system, with particular focus on continuity of HAART during and after community re-entry following incarceration. Key outcome measures include linkage to care (e.g., seen at care center post-release) and viral suppression (e.g., proportion with undetectable viral load 6 months or more after initiation of ART). Applications responsive to this FOA may propose intervention research at the individual, organizational, or system level that leads to effective approaches for expanding access to HIV testing and HAART treatment in the criminal justice system and in community organizations working with criminal justice systems and populations.

Applications are due by April 1, 2010. For more information, click here.

Announcements & Events

Feb 05 Second Chance Act Grant Webinar: Guidance for Nonprofit Organizations Applying for Mentoring Grants, National Reentry Resource Center

Feb 10 Making Second Chances Work: A Conference for Grantees Committed to Successful Reentry, National Reentry Resource Center

The National Reentry Resource Center will host this conference, sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, for recipients of 2009 Second Chance Act awards.

Feb 11 National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, National Alliance to End Homelessness

Feb 19 Occasional Series on Reentry Research, Exploring the Factors Affecting the Adoption and Implementation of Treatment Delivery Systems in the Criminal Justice System, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

If you can't make it to this event, the National Reentry Resource Center will broadcast a live audio stream of it from the resource center's website. To listen to the broadcast visit the homepage homepage on February 19, at 9:00 a.m. and follow the links.

Jul 09 Georgetown University Offers a Certificate Program to Improve Outcomes for Children and Youth Involved in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems

The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University‘s Public Policy Institute has announced its 2010 Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare: Multi-System Integration Certificate Program for Public Sector Leaders. The program is designed to advance cross systems work to improve outcomes for youth involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.

Reentry in the News

Articles from newspapers around the country covering reentry issues can be found on the National Reentry Resource Center website. Some recent headlines from the homepage are posted below.

Wythe News (VA) — Ex-offenders face fear of having no where to go

1/26/10 — "H.O.P.E. and Crossroads Shelter are just two agencies represented in a diverse Continuum of Care that is working to address homeless issues. Kegley said the continuum is trying to tap into stimulus funds made available through the Second Chance Act to address housing issues."

The Oklahoman (OK) — With Oklahoma moms in prison, kids suffer, study finds

1/26/10 — "Bureaucratic bungling and obstacles are adding to the trauma Oklahoma children experience when their mothers are incarcerated, according to a new study released by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth."

NJ.com (NJ) — Rutgers report finds N.J. prisons need more services to reintegrate criminals

1/25/10 — "New Jersey provides less than half of the services needed for inmates to successfully reintegrate to life outside of prison, according to a Rutgers University report released today."

New York Times (NY) — Editorial: Denied a chance for honest work

1/19/10 — "Among the leading causes of recidivism are employment policies in the private and public sectors that discriminate against former offenders and too often drive them back to jail. New York State first addressed this problem more than 30 years ago with laws protecting the employment rights of people with criminal convictions. But two investigations by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo suggest that some companies are finding ways around these laws."

NJ.com (NJ) — Gov. Corzine signs bills to help ex-offenders readjust to life outside prison

1/18/10 — "Gov. Jon Corzine signed three bills aimed at making it easier for former inmates to readjust to life outside prison walls. The legislation will allow ex-offenders to receive food stamps and mandate job training programs at all prisons."

Newsweek— Children are not too old to change

1/15/10 — "Rehabilitative approaches work better than punitive ones with juveniles. Some states are exploring these measures, while others still lag."

CNN (CT) — States rethink 'adult time for adult crime'

1/15/10 — "Recently, Connecticut raised from 16 to 17 the age at which a juvenile is automatically prosecuted as an adult. Connecticut child advocates say the juvenile system is better suited for teens because it offers more access to rehabilitative programs, schooling, community-based programming and supervision from juvenile probation officers."

Statesman Journal (OR) — After tough year in '09, Marion County officials see progress

1/15/10 — "Marion County went through a turbulent 2009. The high unemployment rate caused consternation for nearly everyone: county government was forced to do an across-the-board 5 percent budget cut, and the former sheriff abruptly resigned.

But the three commissioners said Thursday that progress is being made in several areas important to residents. The good omens include two federal grants for programs to help former prisoners re-enter society....

The county has received two federal 'Second Chance Act' grants — one for more than $569,000 and the other for about $302,000 — that will fund programs to help former prisoners get a fresh start."

Chillicothe Gazette (OH) — Grant would provide assistance to inmates

1/13/10 — "A new coalition organized by the Ross County Board of Commissioners is working to bring as much as $1 million to the area to work with felony offenders before they head to prison.

The November creation of the coalition is a result of the Second Chance Act signed into law by President George W. Bush in April 2008."

Publications

Reentry Readiness of Men and Women Leaving New Jersey Prisons, Rutgers University Center for Behavioral Health Services & Criminal Justice Research

The report finds that people who are incarcerated in New Jersey struggle with a host of problems that affect their ability to live crime-free lives upon their release from confinement. The range of problems this group faces is daunting, from difficulties in readiness to enter the job market to problems in mental and physical health. The report further finds that far too few of these problems are addressed during the period of confinement. In short, we now know that New Jersey’s correctional population, almost all of whom will be released to our communities, includes many people who are far from ready to succeed in our communities.

Reaching Through the Cracks: A Guide to Implementing the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership, Public/Private Ventures

This guide draws upon lessons learned from seven years of experience in Philadelphia to describe how cities and other jurisdictions can plan and carry out an initiative like the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership (YVRP).

Institutional Discharges and Subsequent Shelter Use Among Unaccompanied Adults in New York City, Journal of Community Psychology

This study empirically examines the link between homelessness and discharges from other institutions. An administrative record match was undertaken to determine rates of discharge from institutional care for 9,247 unaccompanied adult shelter users in New York City. Cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis was then used to assess associations between different types of institutional discharges and the likelihood of persons subsequently experiencing extended shelter stays. Results show that 28% of the cohort was discharged from institutional care within the 90-day period preceding their initial shelter entry, with different types of institutional discharge associated with differences in subsequent patterns of shelter use. Based on these findings, transitions from institution to the community are potentially a key intervention point for reducing homelessness and shelter use.

The Impact of Hawaii's HOPE Program on Drug Use, Crime and Recidivism, The PEW Center on the States

New research on Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) program shows that HOPE probationers were significantly less likely to be arrested for a new crime, to use drugs and to have their probation revoked. As a result, HOPE participants also served or were sentenced to an average of 48 percent fewer days in jail and prison.
The HOPE program, launched in 2004, identifies probationers at high risk of violating the conditions of their community supervision and aims to deter them from using drugs and committing crimes with frequent and random drug tests backed up by swift, certain and short jail stays.

An Evolving Field: Findings from the 2008 Parole Practices Survey, Urban Institute

According to the abstract,

Parole supervision has been a somewhat overlooked field in recent years, even as the challenges of prisoner reentry have attracted increasing attention. Parole supervision can and should play an important role in facilitating successful reentry, yet parole agencies must systematically adopt the practices and policies that have been demonstrated to work. To examine the current state of parole practice, the Urban Institute conducted a survey of parole supervision field offices. The findings of the survey are summarized in this report, and suggest that the principles of effective supervision are beginning to take root.

Audiences

Tools & Resources