NCJ Number
201668
Journal
Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 65 Issue: 5 Dated: August 2003 Pages: 68-70,72,73
Date Published
August 2003
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes Pennsylvania’s Department of Corrections’ (DOC) approach to offender re-entry into the community.
Abstract
Like most department’s of correction around the country, in the past Pennsylvania’s DOC viewed its primary responsibility as that of keeping inmates away from society to protect the public safety. However, in recent years, the goal of imprisonment has changed from purely punishment to a focus on the rehabilitation of the offender and their successful re-entry into the community. Pennsylvania’s DOC has adopted a three-pronged approach to the goal of keeping society and inmates safe and providing for inmates’ rehabilitation and successful re-entry into the community. First, a thorough risk and needs assessment is conducted with all men and women entering Pennsylvania’s correctional facilities. The assessment involves the utilization of Pennsylvania’s own internally developed and validated classification instrument. The second phase of the approach to re-entry involves offering inmates services based on their risk and needs assessment and the clinical judgments of correctional staff. The services include alcohol and other drug treatment programs; work and education programs; citizenship education; family, relationship, and self-esteem programs; offense-related programs; and re-entry programs. Finally, the department offers a community re-entry program called the Community Orientation and Reintegration (COR) program, which assists inmates with the skills necessary to find and keep jobs and to successfully remain in the community. Pennsylvania’s DOC strives to continually assess and update their programs through the use of constant evaluation and research partnerships.