Reentry Initiatives: Improving the Monitoring and Managing of Returning Offenders

• NCJ Number: 198337
• Journal: Police Chief Volume: 69 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2002 Pages: 44,46,49
• Author(s): Terry Donahue
• Date Published: December 2002
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses ways that law enforcement agencies are attempting to help returning offenders break the cycle of crime by becoming contributing members of their communities.

Abstract

Focusing on returning offenders, this article addresses the ways in which law enforcement agencies are attempting to help returning offenders break the cycle of crime in order to become contributing members of their communities. After arguing that it is well known that offenders who have served time in Federal, State, or local correctional facilities are at a particularly high risk of committing new crimes upon return to their communities, the author argues that local law enforcement and community corrections officials are considering ways to better manage and monitor former inmates. Contending that few offenders return to their communities with the necessary job skills, education, or prospects for success that will keep them from committing new crimes, this article maintains that the 183,675 offenders released from correctional facilities in 1994 who were sent back to prison within 3 years, were charged with 744,480 new crimes or roughly 4 crimes per offender. Stating that research confirms that most crime is committed by a small group of chronic offenders, the author argues that a number of law enforcement agencies have begun to explore new partnerships with government and private sector organizations in order to find ways to help returning offenders break the cycle of crime by becoming contributing members of their communities. After briefly discussing various reentry initiatives recently implemented in Boston, Richland County, Ohio, and West Virginia, the author argues that reentry initiatives have several benefits including cutting across organizational boundaries, involving the friends, family, mentors, and clergy of offenders in taking part in positive changes for offenders, and utilizing existing Federal and State monies in order to implement reentry programs. Discussing Federal assistance towards reentry initiatives, the author contends that the Office of Justice Programs’ Going Home: Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative aims to identify and enhance existing and developing reentry programs that target serious violent offenders among several different offender populations.