Second Chance Pell Pilot Program.

 The Department of Education selected 67 colleges and universities that will partner with more than 100 Federal and state correctional institutions to enroll roughly 12,000 incarcerated students in educational and training programs. The program responds to recommendations put forth by the President’s My Brother’s Keeper Task Force to promote successful alternatives to incarceration and eliminate unnecessary barriers to reentry.

Reentry Demonstration Project for Young Adults.

The Department of Labor announced over $31 million in grants to seven organizations to design programs for adults ages 18 to 24 to provide job training and a path to meaningful employment. 

Training to Work.

The Department of Labor awarded grants totaling over $21 million to 16 organizations to serve individuals in high-poverty and high-crime areas. These grants offer returning citizens in a state or local work release program an opportunity to participate in a career pathway program that defines and maps out a sequence of educational and workforce training resulting in skilled workers who meet the needs of local employers. These programs will also provide services such as case management, mentoring, and follow-up services.

Linking to Employment Activities Pre-Release.

The Department of Labor announced 11 grants totaling over $5 million to organizations operating specialized American Job Centers inside correctional facilities. The organizations assist soon-to-be-released inmates with the transition to life in their communities by providing services to prepare them for employment and increase opportunities for successful reentry. 

WASHINGTON (Sept. 20, 2016)— The U.S. Department of Labor announced today an investment of $6.4 million in grants to provide currently and formerly incarcerated individuals with important job skills and resources by establishing additional American Job Centers inside correctional facilities, and creating an online clearinghouse – in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice – to make information needed to expunge criminal records more readily available to further remove barriers to employment.

Pathways to Justice.

The Department of Labor awarded grants totaling $6.5 million to five non-profit organizations and two local governments to provide mentorship and career training to youth ages 16 to 21 who are at risk of dropping out of high school, becoming involved in the juvenile or criminal justice systems, or have juvenile records. Students will be mentored by justice and emergency services personnel to explore career paths as police officers, firefighters, lawyers, paramedics, and other related professions.

Permanent Supportive Housing through Pay for Success. 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Justice awarded $8.7 million to seven organizations to address individuals cycling between the criminal justice system and homeless services. The Pay for Success model—which enables the government to pay only when positive outcomes are achieved—presents a promising way for communities to scale innovative solutions, paying once the value of reduced remedial services is realized.

Toolkit for Housing Reentry Programs. 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is releasing a toolkit entitled It Starts with Housing: Public Housing Agencies Are Making Second Chances Real. This publication highlights best practices and case studies that can be replicated by communities looking to build their own reentry housing programs to improve housing opportunities for returning citizens across the country.

Protecting the Children of Incarcerated Parents.

The Department of Justice will support the development of model family-strengthening policies that can be adopted and implemented in prisons and jails. The policies will address referral and case management for incarcerated parents; visiting policies and procedures; visiting room and waiting room environments; parenting and other programming offered in correctional facilities; family reunification and reentry planning; and identifying and incorporating local services. 

Cohesion for these reentry programs required the following methods

1.  Federal Interagency Reentry Council was established to lead the Government’s work on the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals returning to their communities from prisons and jails.
2. 100 employers who employ 1.5 million workers took the Fair Chance Business Pledge and committed to taking action to reduce barriers to a second chance.  They create pathways to jobs for formerly incarcerated individuals.  
3. “Banning the Box” in federal employment by prohibiting federal agencies from asking questions about criminal and credit history to applicants for tens of thousands of government jobs until a conditional offer of employment has been made.
4. Releasing guidance on the application of Fair Housing Act standards to the use of criminal records by providers of housing and providing guidance for public housing authorities on excluding the use of arrest records in housing decisions.
5. Clarifying that individuals in state or local halfway houses and those on probation or parole are not excluded from Medicaid and describing how states can better facilitate access to Medicaid services for individuals reentering the community.
6. Making available Veterans Affairs services and support to justice-involved veterans in over 350 Veterans Treatment Courts and other Veteran-focused court programs and 1,284 local jails. 
7. Removing unnecessary barriers to college access. The Department of Education issued Beyond the Box Guidance and higher education institutions from across the country joined the Fair Chance Higher Education Pledge to voice their support for the reforms needed to expand college opportunity.
8. Established the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force in February of 2014, which is charged with addressing persistent opportunity gaps facing boys and young men of color and ensuring all young people can reach their full potential.

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Currently, there are no pre-release programs to address the behavior change of the inmate’s attitude like The Read for Life program.

As Maslow Abraham stated: “What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself”

Mass incarceration has caused the need for rehabilitation because 95% of convicts return to society (NRRC, 2015).” Read for Life” is a poetry program to rehabilitate the minds of those returning to the community [reformers]. This rehabilitation program BECOMES A CATALYST BETWEEN FORMER PRISONERS AND A HANDS-ON PROGRAM. The program takes six weeks to complete and is self-paced. The reformers [PRE-RELEASED OFFENDERS] must complete all activities before they transition back into society. The curriculum comprises five units and satisfies two goals: self-awareness and healthy relationships. The program is valuable because it solves a societal problem–hopeless. Finding employment be daunting, and impossible due to a lack of marketable skills. The Read for Life program helps prior inmates deal with employment rejection, Also, each participant is given a one-year follow-up.

To obtain program objectives, the activities require participants to watch YouTube and play games. Upon completion, participants can choose their rewards for each unit and earn a certificate. The certificate is the gateway to trade school –learning marketable skills. This program pays for tuition and prizes.

In summary, incarceration lacks rehabilitation. Prison reform does not only change policing and sentencing, it should include Holistic Rehabilitation. “Read for Life” is a SELF-DEVELOPMENT program FOR MINDSET CONTROL. It rehabilitates pre-released offenders from behind bars to the outside. This program promotes positive self-awareness and helps reformers develop healthy relationships as they transition into the world. Learning materials include videos of poems, songs, dance, and famous quotes to encourage understanding of a healthy relationship and the development of a positive attitude–self-awareness.

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Read for Life program

“self-development for mindset change”

 

Unit One – prior knowledge of self-awareness and healthy relationships

Unit Two – characteristics of self-awareness

Unit Three – characteristics of emotional intelligence

Unit Four – characteristics of healthy relationships

Unit Five – interpersonal skills

 

Final Exam

Prizes

Recidivism follow-up

Some of Baltimore City’s

Re-entry programs

 

FOOD Services
Agape House Homeless Services	1501 North Dukeland Street	410-566-5007	www.agaprhouseinc.com	food clothing pregnancy center baby pantry job training hot meals utility and rental assistance day and after-school mentoring free day camp
Mt. Lebanon Baptist Food Pantry	2812 Reisterstown Rd., 21215	410-669-1800	www.mtlebanonbaptist.org	Asst. with Criminal issues Employment referrals Job search Asst. Referrals to job training Resume preparations Job readiness and skills enhancement workshops Free use of computers, printers, copiers, faxes, Internet, and co-partners.

HOUSING
Job, Housing & Recovery Inc.	P.O. BOX 24258, 21217	410-522-2232	www.jhrbaltimore.org	Men only Long-term transitional housing Case management Occupational therapy Workforce development Education Relapse prevention

 

	JOB Training, Replacement, and Professionalism
America Works of Maryland, Inc.	22 Light Street, 5th Floor, 21202	410-625-9675	www.americaworks.com	Job readiness Job placement
Americorp	Statewide	800-942-2677	www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps	Americorps membership: living allowance, healthcare, childcare, education Paid community service Create or Develop a resume
Baltimore City Joint Apprenticeship Program	201 East Baltimore St. 2nd Floor, 21202	410-396-1411	HTTP://humanresources.baltimorecity.gov/employment	Must have a GED or High School Diploma Earn money and benefits while training Apprenticeships: Automotive Mechanic, Electrical Mechanic, Housing Mechanic, Housing Inspector, Instrumentation Technician, Operations Technician, Tree Trimmer and Utilities Installer and Repairer.

EDUCATION
Center for Urban Families	2201 N. Monroe St., 21217	410-367-5691	www.cfuf.org	Develop training and opportunities Skill-building classes for couples. Provide transportation, childcare, and dinner. Fatherhood responsibility workshops GED classes Free expungement services
Goodwill (Clerical, Computer, Job Training, Custodial, Spanish, GED, and STEP program)	222 East Redwood St., 21202	410-837-1800	www.goodwillches.org/work/empoyee/training-programs/	GED classes Various levels of computer classes. HS Diploma or GED required. Job readiness Job placement Free 10-week custodial training. Referral from the MD. Division of Rehabilitative Services required. Employment program for psychiatrically disabled people Free 14-week training for Human Services: counseling, advocacy, documentation, human relations, case management,  If not a US citizen must have documentation to work
Human Resources Power House	4218 Bayonne Ave., 21206	443-857-4486	hrpowerhouse.org	Program for new African immigrants that focuses on wealth management and health.

 

List of re-entry programs in Baltimore City

The White House