NCJ Number
219770
Date Published
May 2007
Length
46 pages
Annotation
Intended for a variety of sworn and civilian police personnel as well as corrections and community entities interested in partnering with the police on prisoner reentry efforts, this report presents the insights of law enforcement and criminal justice experts who participated in a 2-day forum on mapping prisoner reentry.
Abstract
The guidebook explains how public safety can be improved through police involvement in prisoner reentry efforts. It also describes the value of mapping prisoner reentry in supporting such efforts. Readers are guided through the steps required to obtain, map, and analyze data related to prisoner reentry into the community. The information gained from this process informs the operations of police-community prisoner reentry partnerships. Involving police in mapping patterns of prisoner reentry (number, names, location, criminal backgrounds, and reentry supervision/programming provided) not only identifies high-risk threats to the community but also informs police about the kinds of resources needed to assist returning prisoners. Mapping produces a collective knowledge of prisoner reentry in a community. This guidebook provides detailed descriptions of the reasons and strategies for engaging in data-sharing partnerships with corrections agencies, followed by profiles of useful reentry maps that can be produced. Special attention is given to the various obstacles in creating reentry partnerships among criminal justice agencies and in mapping reentry data. Guidance is provided for addressing these obstacles. The guidebook concludes with a discussion of how police agencies--in partnership with corrections, service providers, and community representatives--can use maps to influence changes in policies, practices, and procedures that can reduce the reoffending of released prisoners and swiftly apprehend those who do reoffend. 11 figures, 10 references, and resources