1. THE GREATER RESPONSE TO REENTRY Alameda County Reentry Network

2. Presentation Overview Reentry in Alameda County Responding to Reentry Role of the Reentry Network Outlook, Opportunities and Expectations

3. UNDERSTANDING THE REENTRY POPULATION POPULATION SIZE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION DEMOGRAPHICS SERVICE NEEDS Reentry in Alameda County

4. Reentry Continuum Incarceration – period while incarcerated before pre- release planning has begun Pre-Release – planning phase leading up to release Reentry – establish long- term solutions for health, housing, employment etc. Release - Released from institution and transition to community, ideally in accordance with pre-release plan OUTSIDE INSIDE

5. Understanding Reentry “The reality of mass incarceration translates into the reality of reentry” - Jeremy Travis, John Jay College of Criminal Justice Over 90% of people who are incarcerated are released There are now 2.3 million people in U.S. prisons and jails, a fourfold increase in the incarceration rate since 1980. An estimated 700,000 people in the US are released from incarceration each year

6. Impact of Reentry on Communities A University of California, Berkeley study attributes most of the black-white difference in AIDS infection to racial disparities in incarceration. Among children born since 1990, 4 percent of whites and 25 percent of blacks will witness their father being sent to prison by their fourteenth birthday.

7. Reentry in Alameda County In 2007 Alameda County had ___ people return from State prisons _____ people return from County Jail As of June 2007 Alameda County had 20,092 adults under criminal justice supervision 1 in 100 persons in Alameda County are currently under criminal justice supervision

8. Reentry Population Demographics Alameda County parolee population is: Overwhelmingly male (91%) Under 50 years old (97%) with the largest proportion in the 30-40 age range People of color (84%) with African Americans comprising the largest ethnic group constituting 67% of the parolee population

9. Reentry Population Service Needs Income & Employment: sufficient income to handle the transitional period between release and a first pay check. Education: access to education including GED, basic literacy skills and other needed education. Health Care: continuity of care from incarceration to community especially for persons with chronic conditions. Substance Abuse: treatment, support groups and other substance abuse services

10. Reentry Population Service Needs Housing: a safe and sober place to live that adheres to the terms of release. Social Services: access to and information concerning available public benefits for which a person may qualify. Family Services: access to services to help with family reunification, parenting, spousal relationships, etc. Case Management: case manager to identify potential services and to facilitate service delivery. Legal services: information and services concerning rights, record cleaning/expungement, restitution and child support payments, etc.

11. Reentry The need to address reentry has been widely recognized and funding for programming and improved community corrections collaboration has been increasing (e.g. 2 nd Chance Act) Reentry programs make our streets safer, our communities more vibrant and our cities more livable and appealing to economic development Successful models of county wide systems for addressing reentry are scarce

12. ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK: A NEEDED RESPONSE TO A RISING DEMAND Responding to Reentry

13. How are we responding to Reentry? Alameda County and its cities have recognized the need to address reentry and are currently:  Increasing police presence  Funding services and programs  Addressing policy barriers Planning, cooperation and coordination has been noticeably absent from our response to reentry “We aren’t out numbered, we are out organized” – Arnold Perkins, former Alameda County Public Health Director

14. A County Wide Response The Alameda County Reentry Network brings Reentry stakeholders from across the county together to address Reentry as the county wide problem that it is Enables county wide planning, data collection, resource development and collaboration

15. Theoretical Foundation of Reentry Network Desired Outcome Recidivism is the result of… Method to address recidivism Reduce recidivism in order to increase public safety Ineffective service and support systems to manage pre-release planning and reentry Develop a manage a system to ensure/track supply services and to evaluate outcomes of services Lack of connection to social networks capable of providing support Establish connections to community social networks prior to release Lack of a healthy values system prior to, during and after incarceration Programming during incarceration that promotes healthy values Inadequate human capital Increase education and job training during incarceration including a plan for employment and training after release

16. What is the Reentry Network? A network of committees, task forces and forums that address the full spectrum of reentry Stakeholders Reentry Network only created 2 new committees the others were built from the meetings and groups that were already meeting around these issues

17. ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK

18. Decision Makers Committee Composed of elected officials, city/county agency heads, correctional administrators and foundation leadership Approves the Annual Plan for the upcoming year and then six months later to receives a Mid-Year Review from Coordinating Council Works with Coordinating Council to take policy action and allocate resources based on Annual Plan

19. Coordinating Council Representative of Reentry Network and Reentry stakeholders Hub of the Reentry Network through which new information is disseminated Coordinates various components of the Reentry Network to ensure a cohesive vision

20. Implementation Committee Brings together staff from current reentry initiatives Works to expand effective initiative-level reentry efforts Composed of service providers and city/county agency staff working on initiatives (e.g. Measure Y)

21. Networking and Professional Development Composed of servicer providers and community organizations Provides regular professional development activities to meeting the needs of reentry service providers Offers opportunities for networking and sharing of best practices between reentry service providers

22. HOW DOES THE REENTRY NETWORK FUNCTION AND WHAT DOES IT PROVIDE? The Role of Reentry Network

23. The Reentry Network Provides S.A.F.E.T.Y. Strategy Advocacy Facts Efficiency Teamwork Yardstick

24. Strategy A comprehensive county wide plan for providing effective services to the formerly incarcerated Forum for new programs to learn about current work in Alameda County and identify where they would best support the work already happening Coordinating Council provides birds eye view to ensure ongoing planning across Reentry Network

25. Advocacy Develop policy, services and funding recommendations that will benefit Alameda County’s reentry population and their families Include recommendations in Annual Plan and Mid- Year Report Reentry Network works with members and county/city leadership to be efficient in advocacy activities

26. Facts Current data and information on best practices and tools that inform policy makers, providers, the police and the general public Data is posted on website and sent out throughout the Network to ensure accessibility Collaborative works as a whole to obtain data reducing the burden on city, county and state agencies to fulfill multiple data requests

27. Efficiency A county wide collaborative in place and prepared to address reentry related issues as they arise A county wide collaborative capable of responding to potential funding opportunities that require a quick turnaround Establishes a clear system for communication among reentry stakeholders to keep one another informed of important events, opportunities and issues

28. Teamwork Collaboration, cooperation and coordination between reentry programs, initiatives and providers Creates networking opportunities for identifying new partnerships and generating new ideas Mechanism for connects wide range of stakeholders with one another to develop new partnerships and opportunities

29. Yardstick A county wide set of measures to evaluate outcomes Regularly updates progress in Annual Plan and Mid- Year Report Provides new programs, funders, policy makers and others with an understanding of the various measures that impact Reentry

30. Reentry Network is a Promoter Vehicle for promoting what works Gives Alameda County a more cohesive voice to ensure that the needs of the formerly incarcerated are prioritized

31. THE FUTURE OF THE ALAMEDA COUNTY REENTRY NETWORK Outlook, Opportunities and Expectations