Offender Re-entry
Reentry is a vital component of New York State’s criminal justice strategy. The state’s offender reentry efforts seek to promote offender success in the community and reduce the recidivism rate of offenders released from prison. New York has embraced statewide and county-specific initiatives to address this important public safety issue.
The state’s Interagency Offender Reentry Task Force brings together numerous state agencies that are working together to develop and implement best practices for a comprehensive, statewide re-entry program that:
- Assesses and responds to offender risks and needs;
- Supports offender accountability and reparation to victims and communities;
- Promotes offender self-sufficiency; and
- Encourages family and community involvement in offender success.
In addition to the Division of Criminal Justice Services, the following criminal justice and human service agencies participate in the task force:
- Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
- Department of Health
- Department of Labor
- Department of State
- Division of the Budget
- New York State Homes and Community Renewal
- Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services
- Office of Children and Family Services
- Office of Mental Health
- Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
- Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
- Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
Transition from Prison to the Community Model: New York is one of only eight states invited to participate in the National Institute of Corrections’ (NIC) Transition from Prison to Community (TPC) initiative. The TPC initiative helps criminal justice and human service agencies work with local governments and service provider agencies to integrate evidence-based reentry policies and programs. Chaired by the Division of Criminal Justice Services, a multi-agency Statewide Offender Reentry Task Force works together to implement the TPC model of reentry in New York.
County Reentry Task Force Initiative: In November 2005, the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) established new county level re-entry task forces. The task forces were designed to coordinate and strengthen the community response to high-risk offenders transitioning from prison back to the community. These locally-led partnerships include law enforcement agencies, regional parole offices, social service and drug treatment providers, and victim advocacy organizations. The CRTFs play a key role in coordinating services in areas such as housing, employment, and substance abuse treatment.
The report, “2009 Profile County Re-entry Task Force Participants,” provides a description of the individuals accepted for services by the task forces during 2009.