A wise investment: reforming prison re-entry programs

Offenders who complete their sentences face challenges when returning to the community: obstacles to finding employment, severed family connections, debt, difficulty in accessing treatment, public services and housing are just a few. These barriers disproportionately affect poor and minority offenders. Communities themselves bear increased costs in offender supervision, public safety, and housing and social services.

Reducing recidivism

Each year, about 8,500 inmates are released from Washington prisons. Offenders who complete their sentences deserve a chance to successfully reenter society. In fact, most offenders now in prison — 97 percent — will return to their communities upon release. But almost half of them will return to prison. Recidivism — the number of those returning to prison due to new convictions or release violations — increases incarceration costs. And it reduces public safety since it can signal the creation of more victims.

The 2006 Legislature created the Task Force on Offender Programs, Sentencing and Supervision (Senate Bill 6308), co-chaired by Sen. Debbie Regala, D-Tacoma and Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood. The task force was comprised of representatives from the state Department of Corrections, legislators, attorneys, local law enforcement, victims’ rights advocates, former offenders and representatives of community organizations who work with former offenders.

A ‘reparative re-entry approach’

Task force members focused on a reparative re-entry approach, examining areas that would provide offenders with the best chances for success. The task force asked:

• How can Washington decrease its need for building more prisons?
• What steps can be taken to decrease repeated crime?
• How can public safety be increased while saving taxpayers’ money?

Policy proposals for reintegration

Senate Democrats believe that by using effective and research-proven policies and programs we’ll create better outcomes and save money while reducing crime. We are giving full consideration to the recommendations of the task force, including:

• Using transition teams to manage offenders after release. DOC staff would work with organizations that provide released offenders with education, treatment opportunities, family mentoring, transitional housing, employment and faith community support.
• Expanding work release programs. Work release programs should provide offenders with meaningful work experience. Communities should be consulted about location, size and appropriateness of facilities within their area.
• Education and vocational training opportunities. Providing offenders with basic education and meaningful employment would reduce the potential for criminal behavior, increase released offender skills and employability, and help businesses by creating a well-trained potential work force.
• Substance abuse treatment and mental health. DOC reports that 54 percent of offenders have substance abuse problems but only half receive treatment due to the lack of available resources. Additional funding is needed for these services.
• Offender homelessness. We also need additional resources to ensure that adequate housing is available to released offenders.
• Developing an individual release plan (IRP). This plan would assess an incoming offender’s employment history and identify risk factors such as mental health issues, substance abuse, illiteracy and lack of job skills. DOC staff would use the IRP to determine work eligibility and programming needs during the period of incarceration and in preparation for an offender’s release.

Only the beginning

It is in our best interest to see that offenders commit to and follow through on programs to change criminal behavior. Only then can we cut recidivism rates, lessen the financial burden on taxpayers and keep our citizens safe. State and community support remain vital. Although the task force has finished its work, and issued its report, many of the recommendations will take time to implement. So, on-going collaboration, communication and coordination are needed to ensure that the goals of public safety and reduced recidivism are achieved.