Improve Reentry After Incarceration
Introductory Paragraph
There is a need to improve reentry after incarceration, because individuals with mental and substance use disorders in the criminal justice system face many obstacles in reintegrating into society. These obstacles may include challenges with access to health care, job skills, education, housing instability, and a lack of connection within the community. All of this increases hardship with recovery and may facilitate a SUD relapse, putting them back into the criminal justice systems. [1] This article describes some of the steps that can be taken to help people move forward with successful recovery.
Key Information
People who are returning to society have a high risk of overdose fatality because their tolerance to opioids is lower than it was prior to incarceration. An estimated 10-15 percent of the total state and federal prison population, approximately 200,000 people, struggle with opioid dependence or abuse. [2] Of incarcerated adults and juveniles with mental disorders, 60 to 75 percent have co-occurring substance abuse difficulties. [3] More than 50 percent of graduates of many prison treatment programs relapse within 12 months. [4] Upon release from jail or prison, many people with mental or substance use disorders continue to lack access to services and, too often, become enmeshed in a cycle of costly justice system involvement. [5] The social and economic benefits of people remaining substance-free and crime-free after re-entry are well-documented. However, reentry from incarceration to communities requires collaboration between correctional institutions, human services agencies and communities to provide substance use and mental health services as well as to enhance education, employment and health care services. [6]
Relevant Research
This cost/benefit analysis by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University found that only 11% of all inmates with addiction received any treatment during their incarceration. It also found that "if all inmates who needed treatment and aftercare received such services, the nation would break even in a year if just over 10% remained substance-free, crime-free and employed. Thereafter, for each former inmate who remained substance-free, crime-free and employed, the nation would reap an economic benefit of $90,953 per year." [7]
The National Institute of Justice at the US Department of Justice performed a meta-analysis of rehabilitation programs to support guidelines for effective practice. [8]
The TJC Study is a report from the Urban Institute, John Jay College, and the National Institute of Corrections titled "Sustaining Systems Change: Findings from a Transition from Jail to Community Initiative Stakeholder Survey." The TJC Initiative sought to improve public safety and to enhance the success of individuals returning to the community from local jails through implementation of innovative, evidence-informed transition models in four key areas: [9]
- collaborative structures
- evidence-based targeted interventions
- data and self-evaluation
- sustainability mechanisms and capacity-building
Impactful Federal, State, and Local Policies
The Second Chance Act of 2008 authorizes a federal investment in strategies to reduce recidivism and increase public safety while reducing corrections costs for state and local governments.
BJA provides a grant program and technical assistance to state and local corrections agencies. [10] This brief provides an overview of assistance programs that support re-entry. [11]
SAMHSA has recently completed a grant cycle through its Offender Reentry Program that is worth monitoring for results and for possible additional grants. [12]
Available Tools and Resources
SAMHSA Re-Entry Resources A Guide for Individuals, Providers, Communities and States.[13]
Continuity of Offender Treatment for Substance Use Disorder from Institution to Community[14] This guide provides quick tips including guidance for substance use disorder treatment clinicians and case workers on how to assist offenders in the transition from the criminal justice system to life after release.
Working with Vocational Rehab Customers with Criminal Backgrounds[15]
What Works in Reentry Clearinghouse - What Works in Reentry Clearinghouse, a “one-stop shop” for research on the effectiveness of a wide variety of reentry programs and practices.[16]
National Institute of Justice[17] Crime Solutions: Programs & Practices.
Webinar: FY21 Second Chance Act Adult Reentry Education, Employment, Treatment, and Recovery Program Funding Opportunity[18]The program supports corrections systems’ ability to address the substance use treatment needs of offenders as well as expand education and employment programs that emphasize partnerships with corrections, parole, probation, education, workforce development, and reentry service providers.
Building Second Chances: Tools for Local Reentry Coalitions[19]A toolkit for local city, county, and community leaders to provide a foundation to improve reentry policy and practice which impact overall outcomes.
TPC Reentry Handbook: Implementing the NIC Transition from Prison to the Community Model [20]A guide for improving reentry transition to community.
50-State Comparison: Limits on Use of Criminal Record in Employment, Licensing & Housing[21] Federal and State summaries with legal citations.
Promising Practices
Rhode Island Program to divert Individuals with Substance Use Disorders from Incarceration and into Treatment[22] Federal grant will help divert people dealing with addiction to treatment rather than jail.
Community Mediation Maryland Re-Entry Mediation[23]The Community Mediation Maryland Re-entry Mediation (CMM) program is focused on building strong community relationships to support reentry of inmates into the community after they are released from prison.
Offender Reentry Community Safety Program[24] Formerly called the Dangerous Mentally Ill Offender Program, this is a reentry-planning and service program aimed at reducing recidivism for dangerously mentally ill offenders in Washington State.
Transitional Case Management[25] a strengths-based, case management intervention that provided expanded case management services to inmates during their transition from incarceration to the community.
Alameda County (Calif.) Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment Program[26] A post-custody, community-based intervention for individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders.
Project Greenlight[27] An institution-based transitional services demonstration program, designed to be a short, intensive intervention, which could provide a greater number of individuals with reentry services at a lower cost.
Sources
- ↑ https://tacqe.com/reentry-resources/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reentry-resources
- ↑ https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/dudsfp04.pdf
- ↑ https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/022669.pdf
- ↑ Inciardi, J. A., MartIn, S. S., & ButzIn, C. A. (2004). Five-Year Outcomes of Therapeutic Community Treatment of Drug-Involved Offenders after Release from Prison. Crime & Delinquency, 50(1), 88–107. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128703258874
- ↑ The Revolving Door of American’s Prisons.(2011). State of Recidivism, Retrieved December 5, 2019, from http://pew.org/1SIW19g
- ↑ https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/022669.pdf
- ↑ https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED509000.pdf
- ↑ https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/ratedpractices/101#eb
- ↑ https://nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/resources/sustaining-systems-change-findings-TJC-initiative-stakeholder
- ↑ https://nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/resources/fy-2022-smart-reentry-and-supervision
- ↑ https://bja.ojp.gov/doc/programs-that-support-reentry.pdf
- ↑ https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/ti-18-003
- ↑ https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/topics/criminal_juvenile_justice/reentry-resources-for-consumers-providers-communities-states.pdf
- ↑ https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma15-3594.pdf
- ↑ https://tacqe.com/wp-content/uploads/eri-files/slides_VR-customers-with-criminal-backgrounds_2022_03-18ac.pdf
- ↑ https://whatworks.csgjusticecenter.org/
- ↑ https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/programs-practices
- ↑ https://nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/events/webinar-fy21-sca-adult-reentry-education-employment-treatment-and-recovery
- ↑ https://nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/resources/toolkits/reentry
- ↑ https://nicic.gov/tpc-reentry-handbook-implementing-nic-transition-prison-community-model
- ↑ https://ccresourcecenter.org/state-restoration-profiles/50-state-comparisoncomparison-of-criminal-records-in-licensing-and-employment/
- ↑ https://opioidresponsenetwork.org/News/RIDiversionProgram.aspx
- ↑ https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/ratedprograms/528
- ↑ https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/ratedprograms/438
- ↑ https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/ratedprograms/222
- ↑ https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/ratedprograms/517
- ↑ https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/ratedprograms/177