NCJ Number
210713
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 56 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2005 Pages: 158-172
Date Published
June 2005
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the major reentry initiatives implemented by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) through and subsequent to the adoption of the DRC's Ohio Plan for Productive Offender Reentry and Recidivism Reduction.
Abstract
The plan proposes 44 recommendations for the development of a reentry system with seamless services and program delivery that extend from sentencing through discharge from postrelease supervision. This involved a redefinition of DRC's mission and vision for reentry to emphasize continuity in service provision during and after incarceration, as well as the inclusion of the community in the reentry process. In progress toward the implementation of these recommendations, the DRC has established partnerships with numerous public and private agencies in order to expand and increase the services for released offenders in the areas of education, employment, mental health, substance abuse, and family services. As part of its efforts to improve reentry initiatives, Ohio was selected as one of nine States to implement a reentry court program, which involves court-supervised development of an individualized reentry plan and intensive court-monitored case management to ensure its implementation and compliance. This article briefly describes other components and services offered under the plan. Selected as one of the sites in the Urban Institute's multi-year, multi-state documentation of the reentry process and the challenges facing offenders after release, this study documented gaps in services for seriously medically and mentally ill offenders released into the community, gaps which the DRC is currently attempting to fill. 14 references