This document outlines key recommendations for correctional agency administrators who are considering the purchase of web- or application-based reentry planning tools.
This brief presents seven recommendations and accompanying findings from the field sections, for correctional agency administrators who are considering the purchase of web- or application-based tools to facilitate reentry and bridge the gap between the institution and the service providers in the community. The lessons discussed in this document are supported by information conveyed by correctional case managers during interviews conducted in the Fall of 2022, as well as reflections from the evaluation team. Participating institutions include several North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections (NC DAC) prisons, which implemented a web-based reentry planning tool called Pokket. The recommendations are: define your objectives for using the reentry planning app; secure buy-in from correctional leadership, line staff, and case managers; ensure that line staff have sufficient time to implement the tool; establish a technology infrastructure for accessing the tool before its release; establish time, place, and parameters for facilitating the tool; provide initial and refresher trainings to staff and providers; and establish a mechanism for accessing the reentry tool after release. The document finally recommends careful planning and attention to foreseeable challenges in deploying technology to facilitate reentry planning in correctional settings.