NCJ Number
242862
Date Published
December 2012
Length
64 pages
Annotation
This report to congressional committees presents information from an evaluation of inmate reentry programs.
Abstract
This report was prepared by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to provide information to congressional committees on the effectiveness of inmate reentry programs. The GAO examined Federal reentry grant programs to determine the extent to which there is fragmentation, overlap, and duplication across Federal reentry grant programs; the coordination efforts Federal grant-making agencies have taken to prevent unnecessary duplication and share promising practices; and the extent to which Federal grant-making agencies measure grantees' effectiveness in reducing recidivism. The review found that nine fragmented but minimally overlapping reentry grant programs with low risk of duplication were administered by three agencies: the U.S. Departments of Justice, Labor, and Health and Human Services. The review indicates that the overlap is minimal due to the following: 1) each department's applicant eligibility criteria, 2) the extent to which each department's funds solely benefit the reentry population, and 3) the primary services funded by each department. Based on this review, the GAO recommends that all three departments should enhance their information sharing on effective approaches for determining how effectively grantees reduce recidivism. Tables and appendixes