Housing: A Significant Reentry Barrier Nicole E. Sullivan NC Department of Correction Office of Research and Planning

The Situation…Nationally More than 2 million offenders are incarcerated in the U.S. One out of every 112 men and one in every 1,724 women are incarcerated in state or federal prison 96% of offenders in prison will eventually leave and return to their communities

Current Offender Population in NC As of October 13, 2009 Prison Inmates – 40,948  Male Inmates 37,873  Female Inmates 3,075 Probationers – 110,505 Parolees - 3,145 Total 154,598 o Prison Releases: o 2006 – 2007 = 26,986 o 2007 – 2008 = 27,637 o 2008 – 2009 = 28,860 86% released without supervision

Homelessness: The Unsung Reentry Problem Estimated 30 to 50 percent of formerly incarcerated become homeless in urban areas It is estimated that 25 to 50 percent reside in emergency shelters

Housing & Reintegration A key component of successful reentry planning is securing housing prior to an offender's release in order to prevent homelessness. Research suggests that reducing homelessness helps reduce recidivism and contributes to public safety.

Categories of Housing Needs Individuals with children Individuals who are able-bodied and employable  Short-term housing assistance needed Individuals with limited employment history and educational achievement  Varying degrees of housing assistance needed Individuals with disabilities (e.g., mental illness, chronic disease, or substance abuse)  Long-term housing assistance needed

Barriers to Housing for Released Offenders Family members fear them or will only assist on short- term basis Lack of funds to pay deposits and/or monthly rental or lease payments Exclusion from public housing (drug offenses, sex offenses) Supportive housing programs often lack staff trained to work with offender population Discharge planning not focused on long-term housing as a primary need

Barriers to Housing for Released Offenders Homeless shelters cannot accept offenders directly from prison Lack of transportation to seek housing outside of urban areas Supervision restrictions on where to live Limited number of beds available in transitional housing Community fear and lack of education regarding needs

How can communities assist the formerly incarcerated with housing? Begin working with offenders and DOC prior to release Involve faith initiatives to provide services and support such as mentoring and family services Develop networks of local volunteers and community- based organizations in reentry initiatives Create/build supportive networks that will assist with specific needs such as mental health, substance abuse, family reunification, and employment

NCDOC Housing Efforts to Date Going Home Initiative provided the following:  Regional housing workshops designed to provide information and housing strategies to community partners  Limited rental assistance (direct payments to landlords in lieu of deposits)  Identified housing providers willing to serve offenders due to post-release supervision and/or reentry program participation and support

Creating a Paradigm of In-Reach Post-Release housing providers must establish relationships with correctional agencies to understand the needs of offenders Understanding the parameters in which correctional agencies must work  Information sharing  Transfers  Disciplinary actions  Changes in release dates  Limited space for meetings  Flexible meeting schedules with correctional staff

Choosing a Housing Paradigm Many factors must be considered when choosing a housing paradigm  Structure  Scale of Program  Target Population  Location  Outcomes

Importance of this Housing Discussion NC DOC does not have a funding stream to provide housing for released offenders NC DOC receives numerous inquiries annually from community partners requesting guidance on developing reentry housing Public relations concerns (NIMBY, etc) Governor’s StreetSafe Task Force – recommendations for reentry housing

Office of Transition Services (OTS) Created in September 2007 to coordinate reentry activities internally and externally for the NCDOC oRoshanna S. Parker – Research & Evaluation Analyst (919) / oAnthony Reggi – Correctional Planner II (919) / oMonica L. Artis – Community Development Specialist (919) / oVincent Gaddy – Community Development Specialist (919) /

Contact Information Nicole E. Sullivan, Manager Office of Research and Planning (919)