Resolution to Reduce Recidivism
In 2008, Justiceworks, Ltd. partnered with the jail ministry organization, Prism, to drive forth changes in Portage County’s corrections policies. Research studies indicated that 91% of offenders in Portage County were repeat offenders. Portage County’s jail overcrowding was costing the County over $700,000 in costs to ship local inmates to other locales. Board members from Justiceworks and Prism, together with community volunteers, collected hundreds of signatures for a petition in support of a corrections policy for Portage County based on a best-practice approach. The petition stressed the importance of community commitment to the provision of necessary resources to aggressively reduce the recidivism rate in Portage County. The petition was also used in community outreach efforts to educate community members and county leaders on the importance of utilizing effective justice strategies to reduce the rate of recidivism and underlying mental health and substance abuse issues. Following the petition drive, the petition was drafted into a Resolution for a Corrections Policy to Reduce the Recidivism Rate of Crime in Portage County and adopted by the Portage County Board of Supervisors. Following this effort, Justiceworks, Ltd. partnered with justice system department leaders in Portage County to open alternative sentencing programs, an offender reentry support program, substance-free residences for men and women, victim-offender conferencing programs and a pro se center.
Petition in Support of a Corrections Policy to Reduce Recidivism Rate of Crime in Portage County
We the undersigned hereby make it known that we believe more needs to be done in Portage County to reduce the number of times the same individuals are arrested and convicted for violating our laws. For example, it has been reported that in a survey of inmates (Mark Goldman and Associates, 2006) conducted on July 13, 2005, the average number of previous incarcerations for them was five.
Furthermore, the vast majority of Portage County Jail inmates are also Portage County residents (about 90%). They live among us when they return to our neighborhoods at the end of their time in jail. We want them to be contributing members of our community. Consequently, we have a stake in each other’s futures.
Therefore, we urge the County’s leaders to approve sufficient resources to provide an appropriate service environment and qualified personnel to offer cost-effective services that strive to aggressively reduce the rate of re-offending (i.e. recidivism). Examples of such programs might include:
- dedicated programming/counseling space in the jail;
- the use of programmatic cell blocks for classification of inmates in the jail;
- community-based transitional living opportunities to provide the bridge between jail life and the maintenance of a crime-free social environment post-incarceration; and
- sentencing practices that offer the offender the opportunity to gain sentencing privileges in exchange for monitored, long term, post-sentence programming with residential opportunities.
These are simply examples of programming that the County should consider. Evidence based practices should be used for the actual selection of programming and implementation of appropriate policies.
This petition is not a recommendation for or against the construction of a new justice center in Portage County. Regardless of the decision the community reaches, we urge the County’s leaders to assure that the County provides ample space and resources in which to provide services that strive to aggressively reduce the rate of re-offending.
Petition drafted and approved by Justiceworks, Ltd. and PRISM Board of Directors
RESOLUTION
RE: REQUEST FOR A CORRECTIONS POLICY TO REDUCE THE RECIDIVISM RATE OF CRIME IN PORTAGE COUNTY
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE PORTAGE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
WHEREAS, the non-profit community organizations Justiceworks, Ltd. and Prism drafted, endorsed and circulated a petition to reduce the recidivism rate of crime in Portage County; and
WHEREAS, overwhelming support for the petition by community members indicates they believe more needs to be done to reduce the rate of repeat offenders; and
WHEREAS, the vast majority of the Portage County Jail inmates reside in Portage County and will return to our neighborhoods at the end of their time in jail; and
WHEREAS, community members want these inmates to be contributing members of our community and, consequently, acknowledge that we have a stake in each others futures; and
WHEREAS, community members believe Portage County’s policy should commit sufficient resources to provide an appropriate environment and qualified personnel to offer cost-effective, evidence based practices to aggressively reduce the rate of re-offending (i.e. recidivism); and
WHEREAS, programs that reflect this policy may include, but are not limited to:
-assessment, data collection and classification practices to recommend appropriate criminal justice system responses to offenders;
-dedicated programming/counseling space in the jail;
-the use of inmate classification to provide for program oriented cell block usage when it becomes possible;
-community based transitional living opportunities to provide the bridge between jail life and the maintenance of a crime-free social environment post-incarceration; and
-sentencing practices that offer the offender the opportunity to gain sentencing privileges in exchange for monitored, long term, post-sentence programming
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Portage County Board of Supervisors declares its policy to provide adequate space, resources, and financial support for programs that effectively reduce the rate of re-offending; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that cost-effective, evidence-based practices shall be used for the selection of the programs to achieve this policy.
