REENTRY PROGRAMS AND RURAL JAILS Frank R Hecht

RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS AND RURAL JAILS Frank R. Hecht Corrections Administrator Tohono O’odham Nation

RURAL/SMALL JAILS An Overview * rural jails make up the majority of jails * resources and funding is limited house federal inmates for funds * staffing is difficult inmates poorly supervised inmate/inmate aslt.

RURAL JAILS ¨ STAFFING cont’d suicide challenges of healthcare/related issues BUDGET * patrol vs jail community expectations RURAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM * lacks resources * slow adjudication process * lacks referral resources cjs last to receive services

WHY REENTRY PROGRAMS? ¨ Statistics • 1000 offenders added weekly • 2. 6% increase from mid 2004/2005 • 33, 500 gain in jail offenders • Largest since 1997 • 4. 7% increase compared to 1. 6% state/fed. prisons • 62% offenders in jail awaiting trial

WHY REENTRY PROGRAMS? ¨ OPPORTUNITIES – Substance abuse – Limited/no education – Mental illness – Lack of housing – Lack of basic living skills – Gangs – The list goes on…but this equals OPPORTUNITES

WHY REENTRY PROGRAMS? BENEFITS * Critical element of PUBLIC SAFETY * Need more research * Corrections facility * Community * Corrections Staff * Offenders Family

WHY REENTRY PROGRAMS? ¨ PRE-RELEASE – Prepares offender – System wide approach • • Reduces potential for conflict Assists in successful adjudication Provides for PUBLIC SAFETY Prepares family and offender – Must start in the jail

TYPES OF RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS ¨ PROGRAM DESIGN BASED UPON • Local resources • Community values/support • CJS priorities • Local community issues • Jail crowding/challenges • Funding • Offenders pop/characteristics

TYPES OF RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS ¨ TYPES OF PROGRAMS * Work Release * Day Reporting/Resource Center * Pretrial Release Program SERVICES OFFERED * Job Development * Literacy/GED * Family Preservation

TYPES OF RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS ¨ SERVICES • Parenting • Substance Abuse • Gang Resistance/Education • Anger Management • Healthcare/HIV education • Drug testing • Mental Health screening/Med. Mgmnt.

TYPES OF RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS ¨ ESSENTIAL COMPONENT • PUBLIC SAFETY • Accountability • Closely monitored • • Telephonic Field surv. Scheduling COMMUNICATION

DESIGN COMPONENTS ¨ CRITICAL ELEMENTS • PARTNERSHIPS • Community Advisory Group • People support what they help create • • Jail Liaison Program Costs Planning Program Evaluation

DESIGN COMPONENTS ¨ CRITICAL ELEMENTS • Funding • Regional Jails • Regional Re-entry/resource sharing • COLLABORATION+COOPERATION • Provides for accountability • Maximization of resources • Accountability/Public safety • Without it there will be no support

DESIGN COMPONENTS ¨ LIMITS The only limits there are those placed upon Ourselves Use your imagination REMEMBER: You cant eat an elephant in one bite

INDIAN COUNTRY JAILS ¨ INSPECTOR GENERALS REPORT • Bia “remiss in meeting their responsibilities in providing safe and secure detention services” • INDIAN COUNTRY JAILS • Majority rural/vastly rural/isolated • History of neglect/little-no funding

INDIAN COUNTRY JAILS ¨ TYPES – Bureau/Tribal/PL-638 Operated – Adult and Juv. or combined – Share some of the same challenges as other rural jails across America ¨ RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS – For the most part they don’t exist – “restorative justice” model ¨ NEED TO EDUCATE/ADVOCATE

RECOMMENDATIONS ¨ CONDUCT RESEARCH/SURVEYS • AJA/NSA/ACA • EDUCATE • ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES • NATIONAL/LOCAL • STATE JUDICIARY MEETINGS • ASSOCIATION PUBLICATIONS • DOJ/NIC/BJA PUBLICATIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS ¨ REGIONALIZATION • PROMOTE REGIONAL RESOURCE CENTERS • Include Indian Country Corrections

CONCLUSION ¨ WE CANT JUST “WAREHOUSE” PEOPLE ¨ REMEMBER: THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DON’T HAVE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING THEY MAKE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING THEY HAVE