NCJ Number
205107
Journal
Weed & Seed In-Sites Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: January/February 2001 Pages: 1-23
Editor(s)
Penne Soltysik
Date Published
January 2001
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This document provides an introduction to Weed and Seed reentry initiatives and shares stories from sites that are practicing innovative approaches to address the needs of releasees from prison.
Abstract
In 1993, a Chattanooga, TN, Weed and Seed resident enrolled in a community intervention course offered in her inner-city neighborhood. The course inspired her to get involved in her community. Today, the story of her success and the catering business she runs inspires others in her community to take chances, face challenges, and fulfill their dreams. In north central Florida, the city of Gainesville has maintained a strong commitment to a local Weed and Seed strategy that has helped convert a few crime-ridden neighborhoods into areas where people can live without fear for their safety. In Lowell, MA, police officers took a highly active role in coordinating the Lowell Prisoner Reentry Initiative, through which officers help ensure positive reintegration of ex-offenders while protecting the community they serve. The Seattle, WA, Offender Reentry Pilot Project provides support and treatment services to ex-offenders that are returning to the community, ensuring the health of the entire community. In Atlanta, GA, Weed and Seed DEFY (Drug Education for Youth) programmers cleaned up with a Phase II event that educated and mobilized residents for a good cause. Des Moines, IA, Weed and Seed has fostered a strong commitment to promoting youth services since its inception in 1996. The Bovoni Weed and Seed program not far from the beaches of St. Thomas, VI, transforms local youth into certified scuba divers. The Weed and Seed site in San Antonio, TX, offers a value-based approach to recidivism prevention, giving young offenders a productive alternative to incarceration while providing them treatment and broader horizons.