OFFENDER REENTRY is the process 

through which an individual goes to prison 

and returns, trying to establish a crime-free 

life, reconnect with family, and contribute 

to his or her community. 

Between 2002 and 2007, 

2,295 offenders on average have returned from 

prison to Court Services 

and Offender Supervision 

Agency (CSOSA) supervision. 

The core of CSOSA’s 

mission is to increase 

public safety and prevent 

crime by reducing recidivism. To do this, CSOSA works to reduce 

rearrests, improve education levels, increase employment rates, and reduce drug 

use among the population it serves. 

Pursuing these goals requires strategic 

coordination between CSOSA, other government agencies, and community-based 

organizations through three stages of reentry — prison, transition, and community 

integration. 

PRISON: During the first stage of reentry, 

the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) incarcerates DC offenders in facilities located 

across the United States. The BOP works 

to place DC offenders within 500 miles of 

the District. 

The BOP provides a number of reentry 

programs for eligible offenders. Service 

areas include vocational training, substance abuse education and treatment, 

health and nutrition, employment, personal finance/consumer skills, 

information/community 

resources, release requirements and procedures, and personal 

growth and development. 

For more information, 

see www.bop.gov. 

To increase the opportunities for DC offenders, 

CSOSA has facilitated videoconference 

Community Resource Days for offenders 

at the Rivers Correctional Institute in Winton, North Carolina, the BOP facility with 

the largest number of DC offenders 

(approximately 1,000 of more than 6,000 

DC inmates). The videoconferences enable DC-based housing, healthcare, employment, and education providers to present information to soon-to-be released 

offenders. 

TRANSITION: Roughly half of DC 

inmates returning from BOP custody to 

CSOSA supervision transition from prison 

to the community through a Residential 

Reentry Center, commonly referred to as a 

halfway house. 

CSOSA places Community Supervision 

Officers (CSOs) 

from its Transitional 

Interventions for 

Parole Services 

(TIPS) units in five 

Residential Reentry 

Centers located in 

Washington, DC and 

operated under Bureau of Prisons contracts. 

Community Supervision Officers assigned to TIPS begin assessment and case 

planning with offenders prior to release. 

Transition through a Residential Reentry Center increases an inmate’s opportunity to develop a sound reentry plan and connect with 

necessary services in the community. 

COMMUNITY INTEGRATION: The 

most intensive portion of CSOSA’s direct role 

in reentry takes place after release from prison 

while an offender is on parole or supervised 

release. CSOSA emphasizes offender accountability and opportunity through risk and 

needs assessment, close supervision, treatment and support services, and partnerships 

designed to increase CSOSA’s resources to 

supervise offenders and meet the diverse 

needs that the population presents.

 

Risk & Needs Assessment 

CSOSA SCREENER & CASE PLANNING: CSOSA assesses each offender’s risk 

to the community and social needs. The results of the assessment comprise a supervision 

plan intended to guide the reentry process. 

Close Supervision 

HIGH LEVELS OF CONTACT: Offender 

risk level, determined by the CSOSA 

screener, guides the frequency with which 

offenders must report to Community Supervision Officers. 

CSOSA-LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIPS: Community Supervision Officers and police officers (from the Metropolitan Police Department and the DC Housing 

Authority Police) routinely share information on high-risk offenders, conduct Accountability Tours – in which a CSO and a 

police officer visit offenders in the community, and host Mass Orientations — in which 

police and CSOs meet with offenders just 

released. 

SURVEILLANCE DRUG TESTING: 

Frequent contact with CSOs is supplemented 

by drug testing, ranging from twice weekly to 

once monthly. 

OFFENDER REENTRY IN WASHINGTON, DC 

COURT SERVICES AND OFFENDER SUPERVISION AGENCY

for the District of Columbia 

CSOSA Fact Sheet 

For additional information, contact the CSOSA Office of Legislative, 

Intergovernmental and Public Affairs at (202) 220-5333. 

www.csosa.gov 

Released to CSOSA 

Supervision

• FY 2005: 2,157

• FY 2006: 2,431

• FY 2007: 2,573

• FY 2008: 2,501

• FY 2009 : 2,411

• FY 2010 : 2,353
GRADUATED RESPONSES: Swift and 

certain sanctions for rule breaking are a key 

to successful supervision. Sanctions include 

increased in-person contacts, day reporting, 

electronic and Global Position System (GPS) 

monitoring, increased drug testing, community service, and short-term residential placement. 

REPORTING VIOLATIONS: New arrests 

and repeat violations of parole or supervised 

release conditions result in reports of alleged 

violations to the United States Parole Commission or the appropriate releasing authority. 

Treatment and Support 

Services 

SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT: 

CSOSA assesses high-risk offenders’ addiction severity to make clinically appropriate 

treatment placements. The agency’s fiscal 

appropriation allows for CSOSA to meet 

25% of the population’s addiction treatment 

need. CSOSA refers lower-risk offenders to 

the DC Department of Health, Addiction 

Prevention and Recovery Administration 

(APRA), the agency primarily responsibility 

for addressing the substance abuse treatment 

needs of eligible District residents. 

REENTRY AND SANCTIONS CENTER: 

CSOSA opened its Reentry and Sanctions 

Center in February 2006. The Reentry and 

Sanctions Center provides offenders with a 

28-day assessment and treatment preparation 

program prior to placement in residential or 

outpatient programming. 

VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM: 

The Violence Reduction Program (VRP) is 

a three-phase treatment intervention for 

men, aged 18-35 with histories of violent, 

weapons, and/or drug distribution convictions. 

• Phase I: Assessment and Treatment 

Readiness 

• Phase II: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 

• Phase III: Aftercare and Community 

Reintegration 

EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT: The 

Vocational Opportunities for Training, 

Education, and Employment (VOTEE) unit 

assesses and responds to the individual 

educational and vocational needs of offenders. The unit also provides adult basic education and GED preparation courses at one 

of four learning labs staffed by CSOSA 

Learning Lab Specialists. In addition, VOTEE actively maintains partnerships with 

the State Education Agency, Adult Education Office in collaboration with the University of District of Columbia to provide 

literacy services. The DC Department of 

Employment Services provides employment training, and placement services. 

Community-Based Support 

COMMUNITY SUPPORT/SOCIAL 

NETWORKS: The CSOSA Faith Community Partnership is designed to provide 

mentors for returning offenders and establish a network of faith-based institutions 

that may have housing, employment, substance abuse, or other resources that can 

benefit returning offenders. 

RESIDENCE: CSO's routinely counsel 

offenders to seek a healthy residential environment and encourage offenders to move, 

if necessary. According to DC Housing 

and Community Development, household 

income needs to reach almost $40,000 per 

year (or $19-20 per hour) to pay market rate 

rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the 

District. Forty-five percent of DC households report less than $35,000 in annual 

income. The city has an affordable housing 

shortage that makes residential stability a 

significant challenge for offenders. 

MENTAL HEALTH: CSOSA refers 

offenders to contract psychologists for mental health screening to determine need for 

more in-depth psychological evaluation and 

treatment. The DC Department of Mental 

Health provides mental health psychological screening and evaluations, counseling, 

and community-based support services for 

offenders with diagnosed mental health 

disorders. 

ID & BENEFITS: CSOSA verifies an 

offender’s address to assist him or her in 

obtaining non-driver’s identification from 

the Department of Motor Vehicles. 

CSOSA also directs offenders to appropriate DC Department of Human Services 

offices to apply for social services or 

healthcare insurance for self and/or family. 

PHYSICAL HEALTH/DISABILITY: 

CSOSA does not provide any direct healthrelated services. The agency does counsel 

offenders to register for the DC Healthcare 

Alliance or Medicaid if they are eligible. 

DC Healthcare Alliance provides insurance 

coverage for residents who meet income 

requirements. DC Department of Health 

offers primary healthcare at neighborhood 

clinics operated by the DC Health and Hospital Public Benefit Corporation. 

COURT SERVICES AND OFFENDER SUPERVISION AGENCY