APRI Highlights - Spring 2002

Serious and Violent Offender "Reentry" Initiative

by Cheri Nolan, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justie Programs

The reentry of serious, high-risk offenders into communities across the country has long contributed to violent crime. As more than 630,000 offenders are released from prison every year, the problem of their recidivism affects all communities. For years, state and local officials have worked to find solutions that will transition offenders back into communities in ways that help to promote law-abiding behaviors and successful reintegration into society.

To assist the efforts of criminal justice and social services professionals, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and National Institute of Corrections (NIC) have developed a solicitation for the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative through collaboration with and the support of the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Housing and Urban Development. These federal partners are coming together to help state and local agencies navigate the complex field of existing state formula and block grants and to assist them in accessing, redeploying, and leveraging resources to support a comprehensive reentry program.

The Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative will help selected communities combine close supervision with services to help ex-offenders become law-abiding citizens, gain long-term employment, and maintain stable residences. Reentry efforts will involve coordination among prosecutors, corrections staff, law enforcement, probation/parole officers, workforce investment boards and other community-based service providers. Work will begin while offenders are in correctional facilities, continue through their transition back into the community, and help sustain them in the community through services such as mentoring programs, job training, and substance abuse treatment. Efforts will be tailored to any one, or combination of, the following age groups: youth (14-17); young adult (18-24); and adult (25-35).

To obtain a copy of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative Application Package, see the Reentry section of the Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reentry or contact the Department of Justice Response Center at (800) 421-6770. The application deadline is May 15, 2002.