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Washington D.C. Works to Fill a Gap in Treatment for Justice-Involved Individuals

Rikha Sharma Rani

May 14, 2020 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. is piloting an approach called Thinking for a Change to help break the cycle of recidivism. The approach itself has been around since 1997, and it brings together individuals involved in the justice system for facilitated small-group sessions on conflict resolution, social skills, and problem-solving. While still in the early phases in D.C, the approach has had demonstrable effects in other places, and early adopters in D.C. are pushing for more.

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With More Releases From Rikers Due To Coronavirus Pandemic, What's The Real Impact On Crime?

Beth Fertig

May 12, 2020 |

Gothamist |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Long the target of jail-reduction advocates, New York City’s Rikers Island jail released more than one-quarter of its inmates within the first two months of a coronavirus outbreak behind bars. The early releases stemmed from a combination of factors: a strategy to limit the spread of the virus, a result of a new state law limiting the imposition of cash bail, and a significant drop in crime during New York’s social-distancing lockdown. Police complained that large numbers of those released committed new crimes, but decarceration advocates say the releases on the whole were conducted safely.

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Stifled Progress

Hannah O. Brown Becca Burton

May 11, 2020 |

The Marjorie |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Florida

Less than two years after Florida voters abolished the state’s lifetime ban on voting by anyone with a felony criminal record – a law that disenfranchised more than 10% of the state's voting-age people – an estimated 50,000 affected people had registered to vote and organizers were working to register the balance of the 1.4 million newly eligible voters. Amendment 4, the Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative, won widespread voter approval and initially survived an attempt by legislators to undermine it thanks to a grassroots movement organized by formerly incarcerated people.

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Mothers flourish with sister's support after incarceration

Chris Herlinger

May 07, 2020 |

Global Sisters Report |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Hour Children is one of several programs throughout the U.S. that focuses on employing "God-given dignity" to help incarcerated mothers maintain relationships with their children and find sustainable futures after their sentences have ended. The latter goal is achieved through the ministry's year-long employment and job-training program. Although it is uncertain how the program will proceed during the Covid-19 pandemic, for the last three years, a local manufacturing company has consistently hired alumni from the program due to their training.

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A New Tactic To Fight Coronavirus: Send The Homeless From Jails To Hotels

Abbie Vansickle

April 06, 2020 |

The Marshall Project |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

California’s governor signed an executive order allocating $50 million to lease hotel rooms for those experiencing homelessness after being released from prison as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. While the hotel business is at a standstill, it provides shelter and the needed self-isolation to one of the most vulnerable populations. So far, 7,000 hotel rooms have been reserved for these individuals.

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Nowhere to Go: Out of jail, recovery housing hard to find

Hadley Barndollar

March 15, 2020 |

Seacoast Online |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

New Hampshire's Rockinham County gives some people with extensive drug and criminal histories an offramp from the criminal legal system, in the form of housing at Cross Roads House and a drug court to emphasize treatment over punishment. But, while other cities in the state meet such needs with multiple programs, the second-most populous county in the state has a severe shortage of supportive housing and services. Such services can make the difference between prison and success, and even between life and death in a place with high rates of overdose deaths.

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Private Prisons Profit Off Incarceration. One In Australia Shows How To Flip The Script

Rae Ellen Bichell

March 09, 2020 |

KUNC |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Australia

Using a performance-based contract to give a private prison company the incentive to lower recidivism has encouraged the private operator of Australia’s largest prison to foster a more positive environment and provide a rich array of rehabilitative programs. Instead of penalizing the prison operator for problems, the contract rewards it for success, defined as fewer people returning to prison. Early indications are that it’s working well, by providing job training, counseling that continues after incarceration, and help finding housing post-release.

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Dimesse sisters link female prisoners to society in Kenya

Doreen Ajiambo

February 20, 2020 |

Global Sisters Report |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya

Kenya's overcrowded and poorly maintained prisons offer some educational and rehabilitative programs to inmates, but the nuns of the Dimesse congregation provide something else to try to transform the lives of those who committed crimes: religious instruction, with a side helping of basic humanitarian supplies. Along with food, underwear, and sanitary pads, the nuns use regular visits to men's and women's prisons to hand out bibles and give faith-based instruction aimed at reintegrating shunned citizens once they return to their communities.

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PowerCorpsPHL trains Philly youth for careers that have a future

Jessica Blatt Press

February 12, 2020 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A workforce development initiative, PowerCorpsPHL, pays participants to learn skills and gain hands-on experience for jobs that offer long-term career opportunity in the field of environmental sustainability. Participants generally have criminal records or have been in the foster care system. In addition to job training and education, PowerCorpsPHL also provides services such as mental health counseling, securing childcare, navigating SNAP and AmeriCorps tuition benefits and helping with paperwork. The program helps 92 percent of participants secure either a job or post-secondary education.

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How a Cincinnati manufacturer is changing lives & slashing turnover

Katie Ellington

January 29, 2020 |

Richland Source |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Cincinnati, Ohio

At Nehemiah Manufacturing, more than 80% of the employees are "second-chance" workers: people with a criminal record, a history of drug abuse, and such. Not only does the company bring more jobs to the city of Cincinnati, but it also connects employees with resources in the community, such as job training, housing assistance, food assistance, or mental-health counseling. Turnover rate is only 15%, and employees themselves describe how the job changed their lives.

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