Title of Section 1

Jeff Mellow

D e b b i e A . M u k a m a l 

S t e f a n F. L o B u g l i o

Amy L. Solomon

J e n ny W. L . O s b o r n e

_01-toolkit Front/Chap1.indd 1 4/29/08 11:08:4
This report was prepared under grant 2005-RE-CX-K148 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The 

2100 M Street NW
 

Washington, DC 20037
 

www.urban.org
 

© 2008 Urban Institute 

On the Cover: Left photograph reprinted with permission from the Center for Employment Opportunities. 

Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau 

of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 

and the Office for Victims of Crime. Opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not 

necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Urban Institute, 

John Jay College of Criminal Justice, or the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and 

Rehabilitation. 
About the Authors
 

Jeff Mellow is an associate professor in the Department of Law, Police Science, and Criminal Justice 

Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Jeff’s research includes examining the barriers exinmates face when utilizing services after release. His work has been published recently in Federal Probation, 

the Journal of Criminal Justice, and the Journal of Urban Health. 

Debbie A. Mukamal is the director of the Prisoner Reentry Institute at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. 

The Institute’s mission is to spur innovation and improve practice in the fi eld of reentry by advancing 

knowledge, translating research into effective policy and service delivery, and fostering effective partnerships 

between criminal justice and non–criminal justice disciplines. 

Stefan F. LoBuglio has worked in corrections for over 15 years, and is the division chief for the Pre-Release 

and Reentry Services Division for the Montgomery County Department of Correction and Rehabilitation in 

Maryland. He oversees a community-based work-release correctional program that provides reentry services to 

approximately 180 inmates from county, state, and federal systems who are returning to Montgomery County 

and who are within six months of release. 

Amy L. Solomon is a senior research associate at the Urban Institute, where she works to link the research 

activities of the Justice Policy Center to the policy and practice arenas. Amy directs projects relating to reentry 

from local jails, community supervision, and innovative reentry practices at the neighborhood level. 

Jenny W.L. Osborne is a research associate in the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center, where she is 

involved in policy and practitioner-oriented prisoner reentry projects and serves as the Center’s primary 

contact for prisoner reentry research. Jenny is the project coordinator for the Jail Reentry Roundtable Initiative 

and the Transition from Jail to Community project. 

3 
Acknowledgments 


The authors would like to thank the following individuals, organizations, and agencies for their assistance in 

developing this document: 

Director Arthur Wallenstein of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and 

Rehabilitation for his decades of leadership in the jail fi eld and Kevin Warwick, president, Alternative 

Solutions Associates for his thoughtful and signifi cant contributions to the Toolkit. Their astute understanding 

in preparing inmates to transition from jail to the community was an invaluable source of expertise when 

drafting this document. 

In addition, we are grateful to Director Tim Ryan, Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department; 

Paul Mulloy, Sheriff’s Correctional Complex (SCC) programs director, Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s 

Offi ce; and Warden Robert Green, Montgomery County, Maryland, Correctional Facility for their continuous 

support throughout this project. Even with their busy schedules, they always found the time to answer our 

questions and provide us with their years of experience and knowledge in reentering inmates back to the 

community. 

The authors also wish to thank Zachary Shemtob, research assistant, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, for 

his help in drafting Section 7: Requirements and Standards and the discussion on brochure development and 

interaction with the media. 

We would like to thank all the following agencies and their representatives for contributing reentry materials 

and information to this report: 

Diana M. Bailey 

Workforce Development/Transition Coordinator 

Maryland State Department of Education 

Correctional Education Program 

Baltimore, MD 

Donald E. Coffey 

Division Chief 

Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation

 Department 

Miami, FL 

Kathleen Coughlin 

Deputy Commissioner for Programs and

 Discharge Planning 

New York City Department of Correction 

New York, NY 

Randy Demory 

Captain 

Kent County Correctional Facility 

Grand Rapids, MI 

Greg Hamilton 

Sheriff 

Travis County Sheriff’s Department 

Austin, TX 

James Harms 

Commander 

Snohomish County Department of Corrections 

Snohomish, WA 

Lee Isbell 

Manager of Inmate Programs and Support 

Orange County Corrections Department 

Orlando, FL 

5 
Liv Elsa Jenssen 

Community Justice Manager 

Transition Services Unit 

Department of Community Justice, Multnomah

 County 

Portland, OR 

Alison Jordan 

Executive Director 

Transitional Health Care Coordination 

New York City Department of Health and Mental

 Hygiene 

New York, NY 

John McLernon 

Director 

Social Services and Community Relations 

Atlantic County Justice Facility 

Atlantic City, NJ 

Paul J. Mulloy 

SCC Programs Director 

Davidson County Sheriff’s Offi ce 

Nashville, TN 

Christopher Ost 

Forensic Unit 

New York State Commission of Correction 

Albany, NY 

Jim Petrosino 

Deputy Superintendent 

Essex County Correctional Facility 

Middleton, MA 

Melinda D. Schlager 

Deputy Director 

Dallas County Community Supervision/Corrections

 Department 

Dallas, TX 

Harriett Spencer 

Director 

The Mayor’s Offi ce for the Reentry of Ex-Offenders 

Philadelphia, PA 

Gary Thurgood 

Business Development Manager 

Her Majesty’s Prison Service - PS Plus 

Warrington, United Kingdom 

The authors revised the Toolkit a number of times in an attempt to ensure that we covered the most important 

issues relating to reentry. We want to thank the original roundtable participants whose ideas fostered some of 

the issues discussed in the monograph. 

We are also grateful to the following individuals for taking the time to review our work and make helpful 

suggestions for its improvement: Kermit Humphries, National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of 

Justice; Martha Lyman, Hampden County Correctional Center (Massachusetts); Rachel McLean, Council of 

State Governments Justice Center; Deirdre Mead Weiss, Police Executive Research Forum; Carl Wicklund, 

American Probation and Parole Association. 

Finally, we thank the Bureau of Justice Assistance—Drew Molloy and Sharon Williams in particular—for their 

valuable feedback on this document and their ongoing support of this project. 

6 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Table of Contents
 

Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................................... 5
 

Exhibits ......................................................................................................................................................... 8
 

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 11
 

1. Getting Started ...................................................................................................................................... 17
 

2. Jail Staff Issues .................................................................................................................................... 25
 

3. Assessment Screens............................................................................................................................ 31
 

4. Reentry Strategies ................................................................................................................................ 81
 

5. Identifying Community Resources .................................................................................................. 103
 

6. Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public ................................................................ 115
 

7. Requirements and Standards ........................................................................................................... 147
 

8. Measuring Success ........................................................................................................................... 163
 

9. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 175
 

7 
Exhibits
 

Section 1: Getting Started ................................................................................................................................................17
 

Exhibit 1.1 New York City Department of Correction Dial 311 Card, Front Side ...................................................19
 

Exhibit 1.2 New York City Department of Correction Dial 311 Card, Back Side ...................................................20
 

Exhibit 1.3 National Council on Crime and Delinquency—Zogby Poll..................................................................24
 

Section 3: Assessment Screens ...................................................................................................................................31
 

Exhibit 3.1 Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and 


Rehabilitation Pre-Release and Reentry Services, Six Month 


Performance Indicators Summary ..........................................................................................................40 


Exhibit 3.2 Texas Uniform Health Status Update ......................................................................................................44
 

Exhibit 3.3 New York City Correctional Health Services, Intake History and Physical Exam ............................46
 

Exhibit 3.4 GAINS Brief Jail Mental Health Screen .................................................................................................50
 

Exhibit 3.5 Mental Health Screening Form III ...........................................................................................................52
 

Exhibit 3.6 Texas Commission on Jail Standards, Mental Disability/Suicide 


Intake Screening ........................................................................................................................................55
 

Exhibit 3.7 New York Commission of Correction, Suicide Prevention Screening Guidelines ...........................56
 

Exhibit 3.8 TCU Drug Screen II ....................................................................................................................................58
 

Exhibit 3.9 PC Plus Employment Screen ....................................................................................................................62
 

Exhibit 3.10 Maryland Correctional Education Program Employment Screen ......................................................66
 

Exhibit 3.11 Maryland Correctional Education Program Job Interview Card........................................................71
 

Exhibit 3.12 Davidson County, Tennessee, Correctional Development Center—Female 


Needs Assessment ....................................................................................................................................73
 

Exhibit 3.13 Atlantic County, New Jersey, Department of Public Safety’s 


Biopsychosocial Assessment ..................................................................................................................77
 

Section 4: Reentry Strategies ........................................................................................................................................81 


Exhibit 4.1 Travis County, Texas, Sheriff’s Emergency Numbers ...........................................................................91 


Exhibit 4.2 New York City Department of Correction Benefits Board ...................................................................92
 

Exhibit 4.3 New York City Department of Correction Discharge Planning Questionnaire .................................93
 

Exhibit 4.4 Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office Re-Entry Release Plan ..............................................94
 

Exhibit 4.5 Multnomah County, Oregon, Department of Community Justice Transitional 


Plan/Referral Form .....................................................................................................................................96
 

Exhibit 4.6 New York City Department of Correction, Rikers Island Discharge 


Enhancement Plan .....................................................................................................................................98
 

8 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Section 5: Identifying Community Resources .....................................................................................................103
 

Exhibit 5.1 Front Cover of the Essex County Smart Book ......................................................................................108
 

Exhibit 5.2 Essex County, New Jersey, Smart Book Table of Contents ..............................................................108
 

Exhibit 5.3 Front Cover of Maryland’s Reentry Guide ............................................................................................110
 

Exhibit 5.4 Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 


Sample Letter of Explanation Regarding Felony Conviction .............................................................112
 

Exhibit 5.5 Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 


Strategy for Answering the Offense Question.....................................................................................113
 

Exhibit 5.6 Baltimore, Maryland, Service Provider Map .......................................................................................114
 

Section 6: Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public ............................................................115
 

Exhibit 6.1 Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 


Pre-Release and Reentry Services Division Internships...................................................................128
 

Exhibit 6.2 Jefferson County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Service Application ....................................130
 

Exhibit 6.3 Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and 


Rehabilitation TB Testing Memorandum to Volunteers .....................................................................132
 

Exhibit 6.4 Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and 


Rehabilitation TB Testing Letter to Primary Care Physicians ...........................................................133
 

Exhibit 6.5 Volunteer Orientation Form, Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of 


Correction and Rehabilitation.................................................................................................................134
 

Exhibit 6.6 Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation, Davidson County, Tennessee, 


Sheriff’s Office ...........................................................................................................................................135
 

Exhibit 6.7 Snohomish County, Washington, Department of Corrections Collaborative 


Agreement .................................................................................................................................................136
 

Exhibit 6.8 New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 


Memorandum of Agreement ..................................................................................................................139
 

Exhibit 6.9 Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office Letter of Request for Support ................................141
 

Exhibit 6.10 Kent County, Michigan, Community Reentry Center Brochure ........................................................142
 

Exhibit 6.11 Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, 


Reentry Employment Development Program Brochure.....................................................................144
 

Section 7: Requirements and Standards................................................................................................................147
 

Exhibit 7.1 Essex County, Massachusetts, Sheriff’s Department Re-Entry Standards ....................................157
 

Exhibits 9
Section 8: Measuring Success .................................................................................................................................. 163
 

Exhibit 8.1 Orlando, Florida, Inmate Re-Entry Program Review Score Sheet....................................................169
 

Exhibit 8.2 Memorandum of Understanding for Research....................................................................................172
 

10 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Introduction
 

W

elcome to The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for 

Reentry. As the title states, this handbook is 

all about jail reentry. Reentry means different 

things to different people, but here we mean the 

process of preparing inmates to transition from jail 

to the community. 

To many in the fi eld, reentry has become the new 

buzzword. Pick up any American Jails or Corrections 

Today magazine and you are likely to fi nd more than 

one article publicly declaring the need to address 

the reentry issue. Such reentry phrases as prerelease 

planning, discharge planning, transition planning, 

continuity of care, community-oriented corrections, 

and transitional care are now used so often in the 

fi eld that they compete with the get-tough-on-crime 

language of “lock ‘em up and throw away the key” 

and “three strikes and you’re out.” 

The process of how best to reenter inmates back 

into the community, however, is still evolving. This 

Toolkit is designed to move the reentry discussion 

forward. We recognize that jails perform many 

functions and incarcerate individuals for different 

reasons—pretrial detention, short-term sentences, 

step-downs from state and federal prisons, 

immigration detention, emergency mental health 

commitments—and for different periods of time 

ranging from hours to years. Our goal is not to 

focus on one type of inmate or one type of reentry 

model, but rather to offer a set of guidelines and 

principles accompanied by examples taken from 

the fi eld that may assist you in developing reentry 

strategies that can serve specifi c jail populations in 

your jurisdiction regardless of whether an inmate is 

in your facility for one hour or one year. 

What we hope you notice about this Toolkit is 

its practitioner-oriented focus, and its use of real 

language and examples from jails and criminal 

justice offi cials across the country. Our goal is not 

to bore you with statistics or studies that look good 

on paper, but are diffi cult to implement in the fi eld 

or don’t seem relevant to your work. Instead, the 

information in the Toolkit is straight from the source: 

small, medium, and large jails tackling the reentry 

issue on a daily basis. Jails differ from prisons so 

we only highlight county- and city-specifi c reentry 

Toolkit Language 

A quick note about the language used in the 

Toolkit. You’ll notice that the Toolkit directly 

addresses the reader (i.e., you), which we hope 

isn’t too forward. Our intention with the Toolkit

is to start a conversation with you, as if we were 

sitting down together in person. To us, “you” are 

the jail leaders, sheriffs, county commissioners, 

department directors, wardens, program 

directors, and deputies and assistants who 

have the ability to implement reentry strategies. 

At the same time, the term “inmate” will be 

used to describe the incarcerated jail population. 

Language is always changing, and we recognize 

the difficulty in finding a term that best describes 

the jail population where sentenced offenders are 

housed along with pretrial detainees who are presumed to be innocent until convicted in a court of 

law. The term inmate may not be ideal, but it’s the 

term we will use throughout the Toolkit.

11 
examples. Even among jails, urban, suburban, and 

rural facilities face different challenges. For example, 

there are typically fewer community resources in 

sparsely populated areas, and small, rural jails don’t 

have the purchasing power their larger counterparts 

have. We don’t want to understate the challenges 

of reentry in small, rural jails, and recognize that 

most of the Toolkit examples come from urban and 

suburban jurisdictions. 

Of course, for all of you who are data-oriented, and 

even for those who aren’t, we highly recommend 

that you review the more data-oriented companion 

report Life After Lockup: Improving Reentry from Jail 

to the Community to gain a more extensive picture 

of the jail reentry issue. The report also includes 

examples of 42 reentry efforts from around the 

country. 

The information in the Toolkit was developed 

in 2006 when we convened the Jail Reentry 

Roundtable, bringing together jail administrators, 

correction and law enforcement professionals, 

county and community leaders, and service 

providers to discuss the role of jails in the reentry 

process. Link to www.urban.org/projects/ 

reentry-roundtable/roundtable9.cfm for papers 

and presentations prepared for the Roundtable. 

The Roundtable discussions led to the outline for 

the Toolkit. The participants and a core of advisors 

brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to 

the table which we have incorporated throughout 

the Toolkit. In addition, they gave us the names of 

administrators and other criminal justice personnel 

to contact who are using cost-effective reentry 

strategies in their facilities. 

Next, we worked the phones, calling your colleagues 

and saying, “We heard you have an easy-to-use 

needs assessment screen” or “Can we get a copy 

of the reentry brochure you give to community 

leaders?” We received their permission to reproduce 

the forms, brochures, and other written reentry 

materials in the Toolkit so you would have templates 

to work with when developing reentry strategies for 

your jurisdiction. There is no need to take the time 

developing new materials when information and 

wording is already out there that may meet your 

jail’s needs. 

Of course we understand that some of you may 

still need convincing that reentry strategies are 

necessary, and numerous examples from the fi eld 

may not sell you on the idea. Even if you’re on 

board, it’s unlikely that everyone in your department 

and community will automatically support 

investment in reentry initiatives. Many haven’t 

thought about the signifi cance of helping inmates 

transition back into the community, or no one has 

ever explained to them in an easy-to-understand way 

why working with inmates before and after release 

is important. 

The skeptics need some convincing and not 

everyone will buy in for the same reasons. The 

six reasons listed below are a good place to start 

explaining why attention to reentry issues makes 

good sense: 

1. Reentry for Public Safety and 

Community Well-Being 

Twelve million inmates are released annually from 

our city and county jails (Harrison and Beck, 2006). 

Using state prisoner-level data as a proxy measure 

for jails, we know that two-thirds of inmates are 

rearrested within three years (Bureau of Justice 

Statistics, 2007). It doesn’t take a mathematician 

to realize the high levels of revictimization occurring 

to family, friends, and complete strangers every time 

an inmate is discharged from our jails. 

Think of the number of crimes a person with 

substance abuse problems commits every week 

he or she is out on the street compared with the 

same amount of crimes committed if the addict had 

transitioned directly to an outpatient or residential 

drug treatment facility. We are not under the illusion 

that the majority of those released will just stop 

their criminal behavior, but reentry strategies can 

decrease the rates of victimization. 

Effective reentry strategies benefi t inmates and 

their families, as well as victims and the entire 

community. Reentry holds the promise that when 

12 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
inmates are released from jail, they are more likely 

to work and begin paying taxes, restitution, and 

child support. Reentry services aim to divert many 

away from the overburdened shelter system off the 

street and into basic housing. Such services may also 

improve family involvement and promote greater 

civic responsibility. What community policing 

strategies have taught us is that community wellbeing is a vital component of public safety, and one 

that reentry strategies can improve. 

2. Reentry for Public Health 

Jails are the new mental health institutions and drug 

treatment centers of our nation. Released inmates 

account for a large percentage of the population 

with health problems, in particular communicable 

diseases. It is estimated that 20–26 percent of the 

HIV/AIDS population, 39 percent of those with 

hepatitis C, and 12–15 percent of the population 

infected with hepatitis B spend time in a correctional 

facility in any given year. In addition, discharged 

inmates with undiagnosed and/or untreated 

communicable diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, hepatitis 

B and C, sexually transmitted diseases [STDs], 

and HIV/AIDS) who are not given the proper 

medication, education, and outreach will increase the 

transmission rates to the general population (New 

York City Commission on HIV/AIDS, 2005). Without 

proper planning, many released jail inmates wind up 

on the street and in homeless shelters, and as their 

medical condition worsens, so does their danger to 

public health. 

3. Reentry Saves Public Dollars 

County and city governments no longer have the 

funds to build their way out of the crime problem. 

Nationwide, $20 billion a year is spent on local 

corrections. Jails will always be needed, but we 

can get more for our money when we include 

intervention as part of the jail experience. Many 

jails in this country are perpetually overcrowded, 

and reentry can help systems allocate their scarcest 

resources—the hardened jail cell—for those 

that really need it, while diverting others to less 

expensive and more effective correctional programs. 

The direct and indirect savings are real. Reducing 

the recidivism rate by even a few percentage points 

can save municipalities thousands if not millions of 

dollars annually. Public health savings also add up 

by directing unhealthy individuals away from costly 

emergency-room visits to federally funded, qualifi ed 

community health clinics after release. 

4. Reentry for Legal Reasons 

Few things get the attention of a county 

commissioner, sheriff, or jail administrator more 

than a lawsuit. It’s time to be proactive. From 

California to Georgia, recent court rulings and 

statutory changes now mandate that correctional 

facilities address reentry issues for certain inmates. 

5. Reentry for the Correctional 

Profession 

Reentry planning not only improves a correctional 

system’s ability to provide constitutionally mandated 

care and custody, but also creates a more positive 

and productive correctional culture that benefi ts 

the inmates and the correctional professionals that 

run our jails. With reentry, inmates are engaged 

more fully in programs and focus their attention 

toward the future day of release, rather than being 

idle, bored, or causing trouble. Often, the cleanest 

and most secure jails in the country with the lowest 

staff turnover are those that have learned that 

“community” preparation is the fourth “c” in the 

mantra of care, custody, and control. 

6. Reentry for Your Constituents 

Polls indicate that Americans want the criminal 

justice system to do a better job reentering inmates 

back into society. At the minimum, they want law 

enforcement to know who is returning from local, 

state, and federal custody, and would most likely be 

astounded to fi nd that there is little preparation or 

notifi cation to law enforcement when jail authorities 

release inmates in most jurisdictions. The general 

public wants reentry preparation. 

Introduction 13
Using This Handbook 

The Toolkit is designed so you can quickly fi nd the 

reentry information you need. Key language and 

ideas are numbered, bolded, or bulleted. Content 

boxes highlight important issues and web addresses 

are provided to link you to additional sources. 

Exhibits of written reentry materials from jails and 

criminal justice agencies around the nation, which 

we hope are the most helpful part of the Toolkit, are 

located in the back of each section. 

The goal is not to be overwhelmed. You don’t have 

to start off implementing a comprehensive reentry 

program. Begin with one or two reentry strategies 

and evaluate their success. For example, your 

facility may have never distributed to inmates a list 

of community-based service providers willing to 

work with them. We include examples of one- to 

two-page postrelease resource information sheets 

in Section 4: Reentry Strategies that take little time 

to produce. Unless otherwise noted, all reentry 

The APIC Model 

Assess Assess the inmate’s clinical 

and social needs, and public 

safety risks. 

Plan Plan for the treatment and 

services required to address 

the inmate’s needs. 

Identify Identify required community 

and correctional programs 

responsible for postrelease 

services. 

Coordinate Coordinate the transition 

plan to ensure 

implementation and 

avoid gaps in care with 

community-based services. 

Source: Osher, Steadman, and Barr (2002) 

examples provided in the Toolkit can be modifi ed 

and reprinted to suit your reentry needs. 

The Toolkit identifi es new ideas on how to 

implement reentry strategies for your jail but also 

serves as a great resource when a question arises. 

Let’s say, for example, the court mandates that you 

implement a transitional health care program for 

seriously and persistently mentally ill inmates. Flip 

to the section on this issue, read up on what other 

jails are doing, and get a list of resources you can 

contact if you have further questions. 

We recognize that we do not have all the answers 

and look at this as a “living” Toolkit. The guide is 

intended to help jails start thinking about the issues 

while the jail reentry fi eld emerges. We want to 

hear from you, so feel free to e-mail us examples of 

reentry strategies or tools your jail has developed. 

We hope a second edition of the Toolkit can 

incorporate new lessons learned from the fi eld. 

Key Elements of Reentry 

The Toolkit includes nine sections. Each section 

focuses on a key element of the reentry process. 

Sections 3 through 6 are based on the APIC Model, 

one of the more developed, understandable 

templates used when outlining the elements needed 

for successful reentry. We also like the APIC Model 

because it’s adaptable to both short- and long-term 

reentry strategies (Osher, Steadman, and Barr, 2002). 

Section 1—Getting Started focuses on the 

importance of the jail administrator in the reentry 

process. Issues of fi nding the time and money for 

reentry as well as the importance of having a leader 

who can facilitate communication, collaboration, 

and coordination across agencies are among the 

issues discussed in this section. 

Section 2—Jail Staff Issues identifi es the 

complicated issue of incentivizing your staff to 

support and participate in inmate reentry. 

14 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Section 3—Assessment Screens gives you 

the tools for quick and easy-to-use screens when 

evaluating inmates. Remember that reentry starts 

at intake and knowing the risk and needs of your 

population is necessary to develop appropriate 

reentry strategies. 

Section 4—Reentry Strategies discusses 

and provides concrete examples of various reentry 

strategies based on inmate need, length of stay, and 

your jail’s infrastructure. We hope you review the 

plans at the end of the section and select content in 

each plan that works best for you. 

Section 5—Identifying Community 

Resources explains the process and the tools your 

jail can use to identify the service providers available 

to work with inmates before and after release. 

Section 6—Coordinating Stakeholders 

and Educating the Public is about 

collaborating with government and community 

agencies to make your reentry strategies their reentry 

strategies as well. How to convene a reentry council 

is a main focus of this section. 

Section 7—Requirements and Standards 

outlines the roles of courts, local municipalities, 

states, and professional associations in the reentry 

issue. Specifi c reentry-focused court cases around 

the nation are discussed to give you a better idea of 

what you may shortly face. 

Section 8—Measuring Success keeps it 

real. Reentry strategies that look and feel good but 

don’t have valid, measurable outcomes at best waste 

money and at worst, over time, lead us to believe 

that reentry strategies do not work. This section 

discusses evidence-based practices we all should 

include when developing and implementing reentry 

services. 

Section 9—Conclusion sums up the Toolkit 

and encourages us to look forward to a time when 

reentry strategies seem second nature. 

References 

Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2007. Criminal Offenders 

Statistics. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice 

Statistics. 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/crimoff.htm#recidivism 

Harrison, Paige M., and Allen J. Beck. 2006. Prison 

and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2005. Washington, 

DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Offi ce of Justice 

Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics. 

New York City Commission on HIV/AIDS. 2005. 

Report of the New York City Commission on HIV/ 

AIDS. NY: New York City Commission on HIV/AIDS. 

Osher, Fred, Henry J. Steadman, and Heather Barr. 

2002. A Best Practice Approach to Community 

Re-entry from Jails for Inmates with Co-occurring 

Disorders: The APIC Model. Delmar, NY: The 

National GAINS Center. 

Web Sites 

The Urban Institute Reentry Roundtable on Jail 

Issues. www.urban.org/projects/reentry-roundtable/ 

roundtable9.cfm 

Introduction 15
 

’ 

Getting Started 

Davidson County, Tennessee, 

Sheriff’s Office Mission Statement 

With a commitment to excellence, we strive to 

be the leader in the field of corrections, service of 

civil process, and innovative community-based 

programs, emphasizing accountability, diversity, 

integrity, and professionalism. 

1

Source: Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff s Offi ce web site 
Getting Started 


R

eentry starts with leadership. Without your 

attention to reentry, buy-in from your jail staff 

and the community at large won’t occur. We 

understand how tough it can be. Finding the time 

and money and developing the knowledge and 

infrastructure to focus on reentry may have you 

thinking twice about it, but it shouldn’t stop you. 

The benefi ts will outweigh the costs! 

Time 

Let’s deal with the time issue fi rst. We hear 

constantly that there just isn’t enough time to 

address reentry issues, when more pressing 

problems like care, custody, and control take up 

every second of your day. We won’t deceive you; it 

does take time. But the benefi ts outweigh the time 

you’ll spend on it, and hopefully the Toolkit eases 

some of the frustration of locating viable examples 

to help facilitate the process. 

Money 

How can we address reentry issues without new 

funds? There is a belief that the biggest problem in 

developing reentry strategies is fi nding the money 

to fund them. Yes, some comprehensive reentry 

programs are expensive, but many aren’t. 

First, start with reentry strategies that don’t cost 

any money or can be implemented with minimal 

expense. A good example is passing out at release 

a telephone help-line “palm” card which enables 

inmates to connect with important community 

services. You would be surprised at how many 

inmates don’t know what services are available to 

help them when they return home. In many cases, 

they end up going without necessary services 

because they don’t know whom to contact. The 

United Way’s easy-to-remember 211 number, for 

example, covers all or part of 41 states. In New York 

City, jail inmates receive a 311 card, New York City’s 

free phone number for government information and 

non-emergency services. The cards are available in 

English and Spanish, printed on both sides, written 

in easy-to-understand language, and instruct inmates 

to say “Jail Release Services” when the 311 operator 

answers the phone. 

Or better yet, develop a trifold brochure with the 

help-line number located prominently on the front 

and list service providers committed to working with 

released inmates. Contact information would include 

the agency’s address, telephone number, days and 

hours of operation, types of services, and if a phone 

call, appointment, or referral is needed before the exoffender visits the agency. Brochure development is 

discussed in Section 6. 

Exhibit 1.1: New York City 

Department of Correction 

Dial 311 Card, Front Side 

19 
Exhibit 1.2: New York City 

Department of Correction 

Dial 311 Card, Back Side 

Partnering with other government agencies or 

community service providers is another way to 

pool your resources, particularly when it comes 

to providing coordinated reentry plans for special 

needs inmates, many of whom are already being 

served by these community providers. Many 

governmental and private foundations are interested 

in funding programs for underserved and vulnerable 

populations. And service providers who do this 

type of work often have diffi culty reaching out to 

the vulnerable people in their community. These 

providers will often offer some initial services at 

no cost. 

It is a win-win situation. You have a captive 

audience with more chronic, infectious, and 

multiple-occurring problems than any other 

population in your community. In many cases, the 

service providers can get the funding and have the 

expertise and experience to address these issues, but 

just need a population with whom to work. 

A good example is funding available from 

government agencies and foundations to reach out 

to people with infectious diseases (e.g., HIV, TB, 

STDs) who are not receiving care. The Visiting 

Nurse Association of New Jersey received a grant 

from the New Jersey Department of Health and 

Senior Services to provide the Monmouth County 

jail with one HIV care coordinator and two outreach 

specialists. The staff not only provides reentry 

planning, but facilitates HIV prevention education, 

counseling, and testing. Additionally, the outreach 

specialists refer inmates to health services at release 

and follow up to monitor their utilization of services. 

Knowledge 

We all know the phrase “garbage in, garbage 

out.” It is almost impossible to create successful 

reentry strategies if you don’t understand your local 

reentry issues or if the information and data you 

have is inaccurate. The data you need to collect 

and be familiar with include the inmates’ criminal 

justice and demographic characteristics (Section 3: 

Assessment Screens), the neighborhoods to which 

inmates return, the availability and accessibility 

of community services (Section 5: Identifying 

Community Resources), and the local and state 

policies infl uencing your jail’s reentry process. 

A valuable resource for gathering this information 

is the Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council, authored 

by the Council of State Governments and 10 

partner organizations. The Report provides policy 

recommendations for the successful return of 

inmates to the community, refl ecting the consensus 

of a wide range of experts and associations engaged 

in the topic. In particular, the fi rst section of the 

Report provides comprehensive guidance about 

getting the right people to the table, developing a 

knowledge base about your local reentry problem, 

outlining strategies for funding a reentry initiative, 

measuring performance outcomes, and educating 

the public. You can download the Report for free at 

www.reentrypolicy.org. 

Infrastructure 

Reentry is not about a new facility nor necessarily 

new space. It is a concept that can be carried out in 

most spaces that already exist. Paul Mulloy, director 

of the Sheriff’s Correctional Complex Programs in 

Davidson County, Tennessee, tells the story of how 

they used old mop closets as offi ces when they 

20 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

began their reentry programs. Now they have real 

offi ces, but the same quality of work was done in a 

less-than-ideal environment. 

Wherever you are presently screening inmates is 

the same place you can start developing individual 

reentry plans. Though not ideal, inmates don’t 

even have to leave their cells. The cell is already 

the location for a good part of case management. In 

Section 3, we identify various reentry screens which 

can be added onto the classifi cation, medical, or 

mental health assessments you currently use. 

The reality for staff infrastructure is the same and is 

discussed in detail in Section 2. Assume at fi rst that 

your budget has no funds to hire or increase your 

staff of reentry coordinators, reentry planners, case 

managers, outreach personnel, or any other staff 

specifi cally focused on reentry. The good news is 

that reentry is not rocket science, and your present 

staff is more than knowledgeable enough to help 

inmates prepare for release. For example, your 

custodial or health care staff can assist inmates with 

completing federal or state benefi ts applications 

(e.g., Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid) prior 

to release to ensure their medical regimen continues 

uninterrupted during their return home. 

Leadership 

Leadership from the top is essential when putting 

reentry strategies into place. One of the best ways 

to show your commitment is to incorporate the 

ideas of reentry into your mission statement. Yes, 

many fi nd mission statements trite and it’s doubtful 

every member of your staff can recite your present 

mission by memory. Nevertheless, all departments 

of corrections need a mission statement that clearly 

and concisely articulates to your employees and the 

community the jail’s purpose. Safety is always the 

main priority, but a good mission statement not only 

states the purpose, but also addresses how it can be 

accomplished. Remember that you want the mission 

statement to appeal to all of your constituents. The 

Essex County Sheriff’s Department in Massachusetts 

Davidson County, Tennessee, 

Sheriff’s Office Mission Statement 

With a commitment to excellence, we strive to 

be the leader in the field of corrections, service of 

civil process, and innovative community-based 

programs, emphasizing accountability, diversity, 

integrity, and professionalism. 

Source: Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Offi ce 

web site 

Essex County, Massachusetts, 

Sheriff’s Department Mission 

Statement 

The Essex County Sheriff’s Department’s top 

priority is to protect residents in the region from 

criminal offenders. 

That is accomplished by 

■ Housing inmates in a secure and fair manner. 

■ Providing rehabilitation and academic 

training to offenders while they are 

incarcerated so they will not repeat their 

mistakes once they are released. 

■ Practicing correctional policies that comply 

with all local, state, and federal laws. 

■ Using innovative correctional approaches 

that accord with the Essex County Sheriff’s 

Department’s top mission. 

■ Informing and educating the public about the 

department through the media, tours of the 

facility, and public appearances by the sheriff, 

administrators, K-9 unit, and uniformed 

personnel. 

Source: The Essex County, Massachusetts, Sheriff’s 

Department web site 

Getting Started 21
posts its mission statement on its web site at www. 

eccf.com/our_mission.html. Note how effectively its 

mission statement simultaneously supports public 

safety and the rehabilitation of inmates. 

Even with dynamic leadership, reentry can’t be 

undertaken alone. Correctional administrators, like 

Gary Christensen of the Dutchess County Jail (New 

York), are constantly emphasizing the importance of 

bringing governmental and community stakeholders 

to the table to ensure successful reentry. 

Jail administrators interested in a successful 

jail transition effort must be involved with 

stakeholders who reside “outside the walls.” 

(Christensen, 2006) 

Prisoner Reentry and Community 

Policing 

Police Roles in Reentry 

■ Partnering with probation and parole to 

enhance supervision. 

■ Facilitating sessions that notify returning 

prisoners of the expectations and support 

of the community. 

■ Gathering and sharing intelligence on 

behavior indicating trouble reintegrating with 

the community. 

■ Building upon existing partnerships (and 

engaging new partners) to strengthen the 

collaboration action of reentry initiatives. 

■ Connecting ex-offenders to services and 

community resources. 

■ Communicating with the residents to 

overcome barriers caused by prior harms. 

Source: La Vigne et al., 2006 

System integration is a fancy term for everyone 

working together. Typically, you know it when 

you see it and it takes a leader (i.e., someone who 

can facilitate communication, collaboration, and 

coordination across agencies to coordinate policies 

and services), like a jail administrator, to pull it off. 

People have a hard time saying “no” to a sheriff or 

jail administrator who personally invites them to 

come together to discuss working in a collaborative 

and coordinated fashion to maximize the reentry 

process. Section 6 discusses in detail how to develop 

a coordinated reentry council. 

You Are Not Alone 

Other criminal justice agencies are beginning to 

understand the importance of reentry in their own 

organization. In 2006, the International Association 

of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the U.S. Department 

of Justice’s Offi ce of Community Oriented Policing 

Services (COPS) each released a report on law 

enforcement’s role during reentry. You may want 

to pass along a copy of Prisoner Reentry and 

Community Policing: Strategies for Enhancing Public 

Safety (La Vigne et al., 2006) or the IACP report 

at your next stakeholders’ meeting (web link is 

provided in the references). These reports are full 

of practical advice for the police on how they can 

respond and work with your department during 

reentry. 

In Montgomery County, Maryland, the police 

department sends the supervisor of its mentally 

ill crisis intervention team, along with other 

stakeholders, to attend the county correctional 

facility’s biweekly, coordinated case-management 

meeting for mentally ill inmates. The police’s 

participation with the jail has a tremendous impact 

on planning for reentry of the mentally ill, and the 

police network broadens the assistance available to 

the mentally ill if they have a need on the street. 

22 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Public Relations 

Don’t overlook the public relations aspect of reentry. 

The best intentions fail if you can’t get stakeholders 

to buy in. Sometimes you have to repackage an 

initiative in a way that allows legislators and other 

key stakeholders to endorse it without worrying that 

it looks too soft on crime. We recommend that you 

sell the message of reentry as a strong public safety 

and public health initiative. In other words, releasing 

unprepared inmates back to the community is a 

recipe for disaster. 

There are several schools of thought on what 

reentry strategies a jail should start with. One 

strategy is to tackle the needs of inmates with the 

most serious problems. For example, an ambitious 

reentry plan would be to locate transitional housing 

for substance-abusing sex offenders with long-term 

medical needs. The chances of this working are slim, 

and it has little public relations benefi t. 

On the other hand, from a public relations 

standpoint, developing a reentry strategy that is 

almost guaranteed to succeed is important to ensure 

stakeholder support early on. Success is measured in 

different ways. If your jail has never helped inmates 

complete Medicaid applications prior to release, 

than developing this reentry service is a measurable 

success. Several reentry strategies are discussed in 

Section 4. 

Developing a trifold brochure stating your mission 

statement and listing the prerelease and reentry 

services that your jail offers is an inexpensive way to 

get the word out that you are serious about reentry. 

What Do the Polls Say? 

In 2006, the National Council on Crime and 

Delinquency (NCCD) commissioned Zogby 

International, a nationwide polling fi rm, to better 

understand the public’s opinion on reentry. Not 

surprisingly, 79 percent of Americans are somewhat 

concerned or fearful of inmates returning home 

to their communities. The good news is that an 

almost equal amount, 70 percent, are in favor of 

implementing services both in correctional facilities 

and after release; only 11 percent think the purpose 

of incarceration should be punishment only. 

Many policymakers are poll-focused and would be 

interested in these fi ndings. Using the right language 

when selling reentry is important. Focus on public 

safety, public health, and reducing victimization 

within and outside the inmate’s family. 

Download the NCCD poll at www.nccd-crc.org/ 

nccd/pubs/2006april_focus_zogby.pdf and include it 

as a handout when discussing your reentry services. 

Policymakers respond to the interest and opinions 

of their constituents, but also analyze whether they 

are economically feasible. We promised we wouldn’t 

bore you with statistics, but recent research by 

Roman and Chalfi n (2006) is data you can use. 

They estimated that reentry programs only have to 

decrease recidivism rates by 2 percentage points 

to be cost-effective when comparing them with 

the cost of processing an offender in the criminal 

justice system and the cost to the victims. For more 

information on this important research, go to www. 

urban.org/reentryroundtable/roman_chalfi n.pdf. 

Summary 

We hope this section answers some of the basic 

questions we hear when jail administrators discuss 

reentry. Time, money, space, and buy-in from the 

community are real issues and concerns that have 

to be addressed. What we hope, as you read further 

through the Toolkit, is that you’ll realize the lack 

of any of these variables doesn’t preclude you 

from developing reentry strategies that take into 

consideration the culture and resources of your 

institution. 

Getting Started 23
Exhibit 1.3: National Council on 

Crime and Delinquency—Zogby Poll 

Question 4: State prison systems could offer 

the following four alternative prison policies for 

people who have committed nonviolent crime. 

What would you prefer the state implement? 

■ Policy 1: Treat prison as punishment and do 

not offer rehabilitation services to people 

either during their time in prison or after their 

release. 

■ Policy 2: Make state-funded rehabilitation 

services available to incarcerated people 

while they are serving time in prison. 

■ Policy 3: Make state-funded rehabilitation 

services available to incarcerated people only 

after they have been released from prison. 

■ Policy 4: Make state-funded rehabilitation 

services available to incarcerated people both 

while they are in prison and after they have 

been released from prison. 

Source: Krisbert and Marchionna, 2006, 3 

References 

International Association of Chiefs of Police. 

2006. Offender Re-Entry: Exploring the Leadership 

Opportunity for Law Enforcement Executives and 

their Agencies. Alexandria, VA: International 

Association of Chiefs of Police. 

Krisbert, Barry, and Susan Marchionna. 2006. 

“Attitudes of U.S. Voters toward Prisoner 

Rehabilitation and Reentry Policies.” Oakland, CA: 

National Council on Crime and Delinquency. www. 

nccd-crc.org/nccd/pubs/2006april_focus_zogby.pdf 

La Vigne, Nancy G., Amy L. Solomon, Karen 

Beckman, and Kelly Dedel. 2006. Prisoner Reentry 

and Community Policing: Strategies for Enhancing 

Public Safety. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. 

www.urban.org/publications/411061.html 

Roman, John, and Aaron Chalfi n. 2006. “Does It 

Pay to Invest in Reentry Programs for Jail Inmates?” 

Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. www.urban. 

org/reentryroundtable/roman_chalfi n.pdf 

Web Sites 

Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Offi ce mission 

statement. www.nashville-sheriff.net 

The Council of State Governments. 2005. Report of 

the Re-entry Policy Council: Charting the Safe and 

Successful Return of Prisoners to the Community. 

New York: The Council of State Governments. 

www.reentrypolicy.org 

The Essex County, Massachusetts, Sheriff’s 

Department mission statement. 

www.eccf.com/our_mission.html 

24 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Jail Staff Issues 2
Jail Staff Issues
 

“W hy should I help that addict?” “Do I look 

like a social worker?” “This isn’t why I 

became a CO,” and “Nothing I do makes a 

difference with these guys” sums up the mindset 

of many correctional offi cers and staff when asked 

to help prepare inmates for release. Buy-in from 

jail administrators that reentry is a key component 

of an offi cer’s job, coupled with comprehensive 

staff training, is the only way reentry will become 

a reality at your facility. Reentry is much more 

than adding a couple of treatment programs to the 

institutional schedule; it requires transforming the 

culture of corrections to value reentry services as 

much as care, custody, and control. 

Training 

While the fi eld is replete with training curricula 

for specifi c treatment programs, to our knowledge, 

there are no comprehensive training curricula, 

manuals, or materials available to train jail staff 

on how to implement a coordinated approach to 

reentry services for inmates. We also recognize the 

diffi culty of fi nding time to focus on this issue when 

other pressing issues exist. Therefore, we briefl y 

outline reentry issues to be considered which can be 

adapted to your location and the time you have to 

spend on this issue. Ideally, a foundational reentry 

curriculum would be incorporated into the training 

offi cers receive in the beginning of their correctional 

careers and would continue during their careers 

through in-service training, roll calls and department 

newsletters, or in a more specialized format, as part 

of the annual 40 hours of training many state and 

professional accreditation authorities require. 

Getting the Buy-In 

Buy-in from staff in any size facility is critical. Start 

off by telling your offi cers why reentry planning is 

important. The Toolkit’s introduction can help you 

tackle this question. Essentially, it all boils down to 

public safety, public savings, and health issues. An 

inmate who doesn’t continue taking his tuberculosis 

or antipsychotic medication upon release because he 

can’t fi gure out where to get his prescription refi lled 

is not only risking his own health, but the health 

of everyone who comes in contact with him. 

Correctional staff should realize that their own 

family may be on a bus, train, or in the same store 

with the former inmate who has an infectious 

disease. Emphasize to your staff that we don’t live in 

a vacuum, and though we may not realize it, we are 

constantly in the same physical location with former 

inmates who have serious medical, mental health, 

and behavioral needs. Also, an inmate who has 

been connected with opportunities to fi nd housing 

and employment is much more likely to not return 

to jail than an individual who doesn’t receive those 

linkages. 

Buy-in is also diffi cult if the staff perceive that 

they are overburdened with work and reentry 

planning will increase their workload. Be honest 

with them and outline how much of their time will 

be dedicated to this task. This begs the question: 

can reentry be successful without staff solely 

dedicated to reentry? Small- and medium-sized 

jails may not have the resources to hire a fulltime reentry coordinator. However, someone has 

to be accountable or designated to ensure reentry 

strategies are being implemented effectively and 

as envisioned. A large facility may hire staff for 

27 
clearly defi ned reentry positions (e.g., reentry 

coordinator, discharge planner, case manager, 

social worker, benefi ts specialist, employment 

specialist). Another alternative, discussed in Section 

6, is using community-based service providers and 

volunteers to help offset the workload and share the 

responsibilities of implementing reentry strategies. 

Some staff may feel their livelihood is threatened if 

reentry becomes the norm. While they may believe 

that if more and more inmates are rehabilitated or 

diverted from the jails then not as many people will 

be needed to manage them, layoffs of correctional 

offi cers are rare and unlikely to occur in the future. 

Most importantly, remind them that reentry planning 

is part of the historical mission of “correctional” 

agencies and that engaging inmates in productive 

and focused work and treatment directly benefi ts 

staff, with better managed inmates, safer facilities, 

less stress, and an overall environment that 

promotes safety and health. Agencies that infuse 

their culture with reentry programming are those 

that typically run the safest and cleanest facilities. 

Also, a focus on reentry will result in higher level 

skills that can prove advantageous to staff in their 

professional development. 

In some form, you must empower staff to realize 

that corrections is the process of helping offenders 

reach goals otherwise not achieved before 

incarceration. Make it clear that reentry is a priority 

and then incentivize staff to support reentry. 

Though it is unlikely that staff can be monetarily 

compensated for successful discharges, you can 

acknowledge their commitment in other ways by 

acknowledging their efforts in staff newsletters, 

treating them to a meal, or making them “employee 

of the month.” Another possibility is to have an 

intra-agency intranet site where photos and writeups on the participation by staff in communityrelated reentry events are posted. One sheriff’s 

department found that these web postings created 

not only a sense of community, but also infused a 

dose of healthy competition among staff to become 

involved and not be left behind. We all appreciate 

recognition, even if we have a tough façade and 

pretend it doesn’t matter. Don’t underestimate 

the importance of recognizing the offi cers who do 

reentry work or how energizing reentry work can be. 

Using Scenarios to Train Staff 

One reentry training approach is to give staff two 

or three examples of problems inmates face upon 

release and ask them to write down or verbalize the 

community resources that are available to meet those 

needs. For example, John Doe is about to be released 

from the county jail after serving a 90-day sentence 

for drug possession. Inmate Doe has a long history of 

mental illness, substance abuse, and unemployment 

and carries a diagnosis of schizoid affective disorder 

and a history of severe cannabis abuse. 

This is a good way to assess the staff’s knowledge 

of community service providers. This is also an 

appropriate time to list the most common needs 

inmates have at release: physical and mental 

health, substance abuse, education, fi nancial help, 

identifi cation, employment, family, clothing, food, 

and housing. 

The Tools 

Once your staff acknowledge that they don’t have 

all the answers, pass out screening instruments, a 

reentry plan (discussed further in Section 4), and a 

list of community resources they can rely upon to 

facilitate reentry. If they’re responsible for assessing 

the inmates at booking or intake, make sure they are 

properly trained on the use of all instruments. The 

same can be said for helping inmates complete a 

reentry plan. 

The community service inventory should be specifi c, 

listing the contact information, days and hours of 

operation, and the services provided. All providers 

need to be called to ensure they are willing to 

work with returning inmates. Nothing makes an 

inmate more frustrated than being sent to an agency 

that isn’t willing or able to work with him or her. 

Research shows that case management that consists 

of referrals to organizations that have not been 

verifi ed is ineffective. 

28 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Engage your staff by letting them discuss if the 

instruments and reentry plans need additional 

information and have them brainstorm appropriate 

and effective times and locations to prepare 

inmates for release. It’s empowering for offi cers 

to be involved in the development, not just the 

implementation, of reentry strategies. Staff and their 

families also use services in the community and may 

have fi rsthand experience on the pros and cons of 

different providers. 

Guest Speakers 

There is never enough time to know all the services 

available for returning inmates. Even if you know 

the services, over time, service providers may lose 

or add staff and programs, depending on funding or 

changes in agency priorities. It’s important to bring 

in community-based agency staff on a quarterly 

or semiannual basis to discuss with your staff the 

best ways to refer inmates to their programs and to 

update them on new initiatives. 

The Davidson County, Tennessee, jail, for example, 

has a reentry steering committee made up of 

support and security staff. The jail invites a new 

service provider each month to present what reentry 

services are available in the community. 

Former inmates who have remained clean and lawabiding for a signifi cant time can also prove helpful 

in breaking down myths about the effectiveness of 

treatment and reentry programming. They can often 

speak from a fi rst-person perspective about services 

in the community that are real and relevant to 

former inmates. 

Interacting with service providers personalizes the 

reentry process. Reentry plans are no longer just 

more time-consuming forms to complete. Getting 

to know the providers connects the offi cers to the 

community and gives them a face at the end of the 

reentry process. 

At the same time, someone from your facility 

should make an effort to visit community service 

providers. Your staff can learn a lot from taking 

a tour of the agencies to which they are referring 

inmates. Some may surprise you by how well they 

are run, while others may force you to reconsider 

whether this is an agency to which you want to refer 

inmates. For example, an outpatient drug treatment 

program where drug dealers are selling in front of 

or inside the treatment facility doesn’t facilitate 

successful reentry. You can only assess the quality 

of the providers if you get out there and see them 

fi rst hand. An added advantage is the good public 

relations these visits engender by demonstrating to 

the community that you take the public health and 

safety of the community seriously. 

Staff Qualifications 

A basic reentry model can be developed with 

existing staff, interns, community-agency 

involvement, and volunteers. Correctional 

counselors, reentry planners, and social workers 

ideally should receive semiannual crosstraining on reentry issues, including how to use 

assessment screens, identify inmates’ reentry 

needs, and collaboratively work with community 

service providers. Ideally, staff should have some 

educational background to fi t these positions. 

Summary 

Much of successful reentry comes down to staff 

buy-in. To ensure support, continually reiterate the 

pubic safety, savings, and health aspects of reentry. 

Acknowledge up front that the process is not always 

easy and outcomes aren’t 100 percent guaranteed. 

But times have changed and it’s part of the new 

job description. Allow staff to voice their concerns 

and get them involved in planning the jail’s reentry 

strategies. As always, the more successful stories 

or examples from the fi eld you discuss with them, 

the more feasible reentry becomes. The good news 

is that we have heard repeatedly that as diffi cult as 

staff-culture issues are, many offi cers feel revitalized 

by incorporating reentry into their job descriptions. 

Jail Staff Issues 29
 

 

 County

 

 

 

Assessment Screens 3

Mental Disability/Suicide Intake Screening 

NAME DATE OF BIRTH ___/___/___ 

STATE ID # DATE / / COMPLETED BY: ________________________ 

/ Was Inmate a medical, mental health, or suicide risk during any prior contact or

confinement with department? Yes _____ No _____ If Yes, when? _____________________ 

/ Does arresting or transporting officer believe that the inmate is a medical, mental health, or

suicide risk? Yes _____ No ___ 

/ MHMR contacted for CARE System check? Yes _____ No _____ ___ 

SUICIDE RELATED QUESTIONS / OBSERVATIONS 

COMMENTS ____________________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

A SINGLE INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE, EXCEPT AS APPROPRIATE IN #3, INDICATES FURTHER EVALUATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. 

h/beverly/suicide/screen form (9/01/05) 

Source: Texas Commission on Jail Standards 

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR DETAINEE 

1. Have you ever received MHMR Yes No 

Services or other mental health services? 

2. Do you know where you are? Correct 

Incorrect 

3. What season is this? Correct 

Incorrect 

4. How many months are there Correct 

 in a year? Incorrect 

5. (a) Sometimes people tell me they Yes No 

hear noises or voices that other people

 don't seem to hear. What about you? 

(b) If yes, ask for an explanation: 

"What do you hear?" ________________________ 

______________________________________________ 

______________________________________________ 

______________________________________________ 

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS 

6. Does the individual act or talk in a Yes 

strange manner? 

No 

7. Does the individual seem unusually Yes 

confused or preoccupied? 

No 

8. Does the individual talk very rapidly or Yes 

 seem to be in an unusually good mood? 

No 

9. Does the individual claim to be someone Yes No 

else like a famous person or fictional

 figure? 

10. (a) Does the individual's vocabulary Yes No 

(in his/her native tongue) seem 

limited? 

(b) Does the individual have difficulty Yes No 

 coming up with words to express 

him/herself? 

11.(a) Have you ever attempted suicide? Yes No 

(b) Have you ever had thoughts about Yes No 

 killing yourself? 

 If yes, When? _______________________________ 

 Why? _____________________________________ 

 How? ______________________________________ 

12. Are you thinking about killing yourself Yes No 

 today? 

13. (a) Have you ever been so down that Yes No 

 you couldn't do anything for more 

 than a week? (If no, go to 14.) 

(b) Do you feel this way now? Yes No 

14. When not on drugs or drinking, Yes No 

 have you ever gone for days without 

 sleep or had a long period in your life 

 when you felt very energetic or excited? 

15. Have you experienced a recent loss Yes No 

 or death of a family member or 

 friend or are you worried about major 

 problems other than your legal situation? 

16. Does the individual seem extremely Yes 

sad, apathetic, helpless, or hopeless? 

No 
Assessment Screens
 

Reentry Starts at Intake 

G

etting inmates ready for reentry is a daunting 

task. Most inmates’ length of stay is short and 

uncertain so there often isn’t enough time to 

provide comprehensive reentry services. Even 

for those sentenced to more than 90 days, there 

normally aren’t suffi cient resources to develop 

long-term, comprehensive reentry programs. This 

complex environment makes assessment all the 

more important. Here are four key reasons for 

assessment: 

1. 	Assessment allows you to see the big picture 

of your population’s needs and trends. To 

quote Warden Robert Green of the Montgomery 

County, Maryland, Correctional Facility, “You 

must know what you have before you can lead it 

and program it.” Access to basic criminal justice 

and demographic data of your population (e.g., 

sentenced and unsentenced inmates, length 

of stay, nature of offense, gender, age, race/ 

ethnicity), preferably in a spreadsheet or other 

software program, is vital to understanding 

inmates’ reentry needs. Exhibit 3.1 identifi es the 

performance indicators the Montgomery County 

Correctional Facility uses to understand more 

fully the needs of its population. 

2. 	Assessment allows you to be as effi cient and 

cost-effective as possible when matching your 

reentry strategies to individual inmate needs. 

There is no reason to discuss housing options at 

release with an inmate who indicates his plan 

to return with his paid-off house in a low-crime 

neighborhood near his job. 

3. 	Assessment helps identify inmates’ prevalent 

needs. You can guess the level of mental illness 

in your inmate population, but until you 

document the numbers with a mental health 

screen, your power to draw outside attention, 

funding, and resources is limited. 

4. 	Assessment identifi es the level of support, 

responsibility, and training your staff and 

contract vendors need to work with inmates 

before and after release. For example, 

incorporating four or six suicide-related 

questions on a mental health screen facilitates 

discussion and training on this issue. 

The good news is an assessment doesn’t have 

to be time consuming. Valid, short, and easily 

administered screens are available. Also, you aren’t 

starting from scratch because most of you already 

screen for risk of suicide, infectious disease, risk of 

drug or alcohol withdrawal, acute illness, and the 

need for medication. 

We should make clear that the brief screens 

appearing at the end of the section shouldn’t 

be used to diagnose an inmate, but to identify 

the inmate for further assessment. 

Likewise, in many systems, different staff at different 

times during the intake process employ redundant 

screening on issues related to suicide ideation to 

ensure inmate safety. 

33 
How to Select Screens 

Not all screening instruments are equal. Depending 

on your staff, some may be easier to use than 

others. Questions to think about before choosing an 

assessment screen include the following: 

■ 	 Is there some agreement on the validity (i.e., are 

you measuring what you want to measure) and 

reliability (i.e., will your results be consistent 

over time) of the screen? 

■ 	 How much time does the screening take? 

■ 	 Is the screen copyrighted? 

■ 	 Is there any cost to use it? 

■ 	 How much training is involved to administer the 

screen? 

■ 	 Does one need to have medical, mental health, 

or substance abuse training to administer the 

screen? 

■ 	 Is the screen available in other languages? 

■ 	 Are there computerized versions of the screen? 

■ 	 Will the data from the screen be used for internal 

research? 

Assessment screens come in all shapes and sizes. 

Some focus on a specifi c need like drug addiction 

or mental health while others are all-encompassing. 

The good thing is that there are a number of simple, 

brief, and easy-to-use screens available for free. At 

the end of this section, we have provided several 

types of instruments to assess specifi c inmates’ 

needs. We tried to include a very basic assessment, 

something longer, and one that takes time but offers 

the most data with which to work. Remember that 

these aren’t static instruments and they can be 

modifi ed to fi t your jail’s procedures. 

Medical Screens 

Ideally, correctional or community-based health 

care staff administer all medical and mental health 

screens. If this is not the case, we recommend a 


medical screen that is easy to use and comes with 


user-friendly instructions. The Texas Uniform Health 


Status Update (exhibit 3.2) is one such screen. 


Some benefi ts of this screen are its one-page length 


and instructions to guide the screener on its use. 


However, even this screen uses medical jargon. 


Question 15 asks if the inmate has renal failure.
 

It would be better to use the term kidney failure.
 

An example of a more comprehensive medical 


screen is provided by New York City Correctional 


Health Services (exhibit 3.3). This four-page screen 


has the benefi t of using prompting questions 


during the medical history section. The screen even 


includes a section on the last page that reminds the 


staff to give each inmate three brochures on HIV, 


STD, health, and dental needs. Always thinking 


about ways to improve their assessment tools, 


the New York City Correctional Health Services is 


modifying this screen and plans to fold it into their 


upcoming electronic health record system. 


Mental Health Screens 

No one has to tell you that jails have become the 

primary institution in our society for the mentally 

ill. A recent Bureau of Justice Statistics report found 

that almost one in four individuals entering jails 

displayed symptoms consistent with psychosis. 

At admission, how many of your inmates appear 

to be disoriented, agitated, delusional, incoherent, 

or hallucinating? 

Fortunately, there are some quick and easy ways 

to administer mental health and suicide screens 

to determine if an inmate needs a mental health 

referral. Notice that we continue to emphasize the 

time it takes to administer the screen. Do you have 

time to administer a 15- to 30-minute mental health 

screen on each detainee at booking? No. The screen 

has to be quick and easy to administer to increase 

the chance of it being properly used. 

The Brief Jail Mental Health Screen, developed in 

2005 and validated by the National GAINS Center, 

34 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
is an eight-question screen with an optional section 

for offi cers to comment on barriers they face when 

administering it (exhibit 3.4). The instructions are 

comprehensible and the screen is easy to score. 

The following bullet points are the screen’s main 

advantages according to its developer, Policy 

Research Associates: 

■ 	 Takes less than three minutes. 

■ 	 Contains only eight yes/no questions. 

■ 	 Is simple to incorporate into the booking process 

by correction offi cers. 

■ 	 Is quickly administered. 

Download the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen at 

gainscenter.samhsa.gov/html/resources/ 

MHscreen.asp. 

The Mental Health Screening Form-III (MHSF-III) is a 

two-page, 17-item screen, with instructions (Carroll 

and McGinley, 2000). The English copy is located at 

the end of this section (exhibit 3.5), and the Spanish 

version can be downloaded at www.ct.gov/dmhas/ 

lib/dmhas/cosig/mhsfi iisp.pdf. Because of its longer 

form, questions included in this screen can help 

identify symptoms of the following disorders: posttraumatic stress disorder, sexual and gender identity 

disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive 

disorder, pathological gambling, learning disorders, 

and mental retardation. 

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards provides a 

one-page Mental Disability/Suicide Intake Screening 

to determine if further evaluation is needed 

(exhibit 3.6). We have included it at the end of this 

section for its six suicide-related questions. Any 

inappropriate response indicates further evaluation. 

The screen is available at www.tcjs.state.tx.us/docs/ 

mhmr.pdf. 

Another effective suicide screen is the Suicide 

Prevention Screening Guidelines developed by the 

New York Commission of Correction (exhibit 3.7). 

Don’t Let This Happen to You 

Bryan Posey was arrested Dec. 9, 2002, after his 

mother complained of verbal abuse. In an 

affidavit, a Dallas police officer who arrested 

Mr. Posey noted his “irrational emotional state.” 

Lawyer Tom Carse, who filed suit on behalf of Mr. 

Posey’s family, obtained a video of Mr. Posey’s 

booking. During booking, jail staff are supposed 

to screen inmates for mental illness or suicide risk 

by asking a detailed set of questions. In the video 

and transcript, it appears that the staff never 

asked Mr. Posey the questions. He was put in a 

holding cell and soon after was found dead, with 

the cord of the cell’s pay phone around his neck. 

Source: O’Neill, 2005 

Substance Abuse Screens 

The majority of your inmates are probably alcohol 

and drug users, ranging from weekend recreational 

users to full-blown addicts. The substance abuse 

screen you use will guide you in determining the 

level of drug intervention strategies before and 

after release. For example, a simple “yes” or “no” 

question, “Do you use drugs?” can help identify 

inmates interested in Alcoholics or Narcotics 

Anonymous. On the other hand, a lengthier screen 

is necessary if you want to identify inmates with 

severe substance abuse problems, including those 

experiencing opiate withdrawal, to transition them 

to outpatient or residential drug treatment centers 

at release. 

The Institute of Behavioral Research at Texas 

Christian University (TCU) developed the TCU Drug 

Screen II with support from the U.S. Department of 

Justice’s National Institute of Justice (exhibit 3.8). 

This 15-item screen quickly identifi es inmates with 

serious substance abuse histories. It takes fi ve to ten 

minutes to administer, is available in English and 

Spanish, and is downloadable with a scoring guide 

Assessment Screens 35
at www.ibr.tcu.edu/pubs/datacoll/tcutreatment.html 

#CorrScreeningforTreatment. 

Please e-mail TCU’s Institute of Behavioral Research 

at ibr@tcu.edu or call 817-257-7226 for permission 

to use the screens in your jail. The following 

descriptions of the TCU screens come directly from 

TCU’s web site: 

CJ Comprehensive Intake (TCU CJ CI) is 

usually administered by a counselor in a 

face-to-face interview held one to three 

weeks after admission, when the client 

has had time to detox and reach greater 

stabilization and cognitive focus (90 

minutes). 

CJ Client Evaluation of Self and Treatment, 

Intake Version (TCU CJ CEST-Intake) is a selfrating form completed by the offender at the 

time of admission to treatment. It includes 

short scales for psychological adjustment, 

social functioning, and motivation. These 

scales also provide a baseline for monitoring 

offender performance and psychosocial 

changes during treatment (15 minutes). 

CJ Client Evaluation of Self and Treatment 

(TCU CJ CEST) records offender ratings of 

the counselor, therapeutic groups, and the 

program in general. It also contains scales 

assessing psychological adjustment, social 

functioning, and motivation (35 minutes). 

TCU Criminal Thinking Scales (TCU CTS) 

is a supplement to the Criminal Justice -

Client Evaluation of Self at Intake (CJ-CESI) 

and CJ-CEST and is designed to measure 

“criminal thinking.” The six CTS scales 

include Entitlement, Justifi cation, Power 

Orientation, Cold Heartedness, Criminal 

Rationalization, and Personal Irresponsibility, 

which represent concepts with special 

signifi cance in treatment settings for 

correctional populations (5–10 minutes). 

Also check out the U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services’ web site at ncadi.samhsa. 

gov/govpubs/BKD143/11m.aspx to access other 

screening instruments for substance abuse and 

infectious diseases. 

The more comprehensive and lengthier Addiction 

Severity Index screen, available for free at www. 

tresearch.org/ASI.htm, incorporates a biological, 

psychological, social, in-depth addiction assessment 

that also surveys many areas for successful reentry: 

medical, employment, legal, family history and 

relationships, and mental health problems. 

A recommended alcohol withdrawal screen is 

the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for 

Alcohol (CIWA-AR), which can also be used for the 

psychoactive benzodiazepine drugs. This screen 

requires fi ve minutes to administer and may be 

reproduced freely. It is available at http://images2. 

clinicaltools.com/images/pdf/ciwa-ar.pdf. 

An opiate withdrawal screen is the Clinical Opiate 

Withdrawal Scale (COWS), which is available at 

www.naabt.org/documents/COWS_induction_fl ow_ 

sheet.pdf. 

Homeless Screens 

The homeless are another special needs population 

in your jail. It is important to identify and provide 

reentry services to the “frequent fl yers,” those 

who cycle in and out of your jail and through the 

shelter system multiple times each year. These 

individuals’ “frequent fl ights” are often the result 

of mental health and substance abuse issues. We 

can save taxpayer dollars when jails transition these 

individuals to supportive services and shelter or 

supportive housing at release instead of sending 

them back to the street, knowing that they’ll shortly 

return to jail. 

The following homeless checklist determines the 

rate of homelessness at incarceration (Brad H 

Compliance Monitors, 2006, 112). We recommend 

that either you expand your present assessment 

instrument or develop a new screen to determine the 

rate of homelessness at time of intake or release. 

36 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Employment Screens 

Another important issue to address among inmates 

is their vocational and employment needs. Many 

maintain that there is a very strong connection 

between employment and crime: when individuals 

are working, they are less likely to be committing 

crimes. Thus, it is important that we do what we 

can to foster the employability of inmates when they 

leave our jails. 

One of your most important partners will likely 

be your local one-stop career center. The one-stop 

career-center system is coordinated by the U.S. 

Department of Labor’s Employment and Training 

Administration. These centers provide training 

referrals, career counseling, and job placement 

services. You can fi nd your local one-stop career 

center by clicking on the map at www.doleta.gov/ 

usworkforce/onestop/onestopmap.cfm or by calling 

800-US-2JOBS. 

In some communities, the local jail or probation 

department has partnered with the local one-stop 

career center to ensure the range of employment 

needs of those in the criminal justice system are 

effectively met. In Baltimore, Maryland, the Mayor’s 

Offi ce of Employment Development and various 

partners, including the Maryland Department of 

Public Safety and Correctional Services, Baltimore 

City Community College, Maryland Transit 

Administration, and other agencies, jointly created 

the Re-entry Center (ReC) in Baltimore. ReC 

serves as a one-stop career center for anyone with 

a criminal record seeking employment. Among 

the services ReC provides to those on probation 

and parole are occupational skills training, 

assistance obtaining identifi cation, health referrals, 

expungement workshops, and help managing child 

support orders. 

Similarly, in a collaborative arrangement with 

Montgomery County’s Department of Economic 

Development, the Department of Correction and 

Rehabilitation located a fully functioning career 

resource center within the main local jail in 

Montgomery County, Maryland. The center is staffed 

New York City Department of Health 

Homeless Checklist 

Where did you live prior to your arrest? 

■ Living on the street or some other space not 

meant for human habitation (car, etc.). 

■ Living with others without a lease (family or 

friends). 

■ Living in SRO (single room occupancy). 

■ Living in a shelter (emergency, transitional or 

drop-in center) continuously for 4 months or 

used shelter 14 days non-continuously within 

the last 60 days. 

■ Living in an institutional/correctional facility 

without a permanent address. 

■ Was homeless in the past but is now housed 

and in danger of being evicted. 

■ Now housed but in danger of being evicted. 

■ Homeless for a year or more. 

■ Homeless more than once within the past 

several years. 

Source: Brad H. et al., 2006 

by a full-time counselor who meets with clients in 

the jail-based and community-based one-stop career 

centers. 

Many government and nonprofi t agencies have 

developed tools to assess the employment readiness 

of people with criminal records. At the end of this 

section, we have included two screens. One was 

developed in the United Kingdom by PS Plus, a 

prison and community-based project jointly funded 

by the European Social Fund and the National 

Offender Management Service, the government 

agency in the United Kingdom responsible for the 

management and supervision of prisoners and 

individuals under community supervision. The PS 

Assessment Screens 37
Plus assessment form is attached as exhibit 3.9. It 

surveys for vocational interests, skills, and history; 

educational levels and qualifi cations; and barriers to 

employment, such as driver’s license suspension. 

The other employment screen we offer was 

originally developed by the New Mexico Corrections 

Department and modifi ed and adapted by the 

Maryland Correctional Education Program. This 

assessment tool is attached as exhibit 3.10. It poses a 

series of 49 questions intended to identify potential 

challenges the job seeker may face. This tool is 

useful because it groups issues by the following 

six categories: education/training, personal/health, 

offender, attitude, support, and job search. If you 

decide to modify this screen for your use, you 

may consider reframing it in a way that focuses on 

inmates’ employment assets and qualifi cations, and 

not solely on their defi cits. 

In addition to the employment survey, the Maryland 

Correctional Education Program has developed 

a pocket guide, included as exhibit 3.11, that 

individuals can use when going out to apply for 

jobs. The pocket guide summarizes information 

often asked on job applications or in job interviews, 

including education and employment history and 

reference information. If you develop a similar 

pocket guide, we recommend that you consider 

including a section on criminal history so that when 

the job seeker answers questions on the employment 

application about his or her criminal record, he or 

she will know what to include. Employers want 

honest, job-ready, and accountable employees; one 

of the easiest ways for them to assess these qualities 

in job applicants is how they answer the question 

about their criminal histories. 

Another helpful resource is the web site of the 

National HIRE Network at www.hirenetwork.org. 

This web site offers information on employment 

programs in all 50 states, state and federal laws 

affecting individuals with criminal records seeking 

employment, and incentives to offer employers 

willing to hire job seekers with criminal records. 

Multipurpose Screens 

Multipurpose screens are advantageous because they 

paint a portrait of the diverse needs an inmate faces 

at reentry. Medical, mental health, substance abuse, 

housing, and employment are the most identifi able 

needs, but family reunifi cation, education, and legal 

issues also impact an inmate’s reentry success. 

Though you may not have time to administer a 

lengthy needs assessment instrument to every 

inmate, we have provided two needs assessment 

screens used by the Sheriff’s Offi ce in Davidson 

County, Tennessee, and the Department of Public 

Safety in Atlantic County, New Jersey (exhibits 3.12 

and 3.13). 

A discussion on assessment screens isn’t complete 

without mentioning the Level of Service InventoryRevised (LSI-R) and Correctional Offender 

Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions 

(COMPAS), two widely used comprehensive risk/ 

needs assessments for inmate treatment, planning, 

and placement. Though we made an effort to 

include only screens available for free, a number 

of jurisdictions use these copyrighted instruments, 

which come highly recommended. 

The LSI-R and COMPAS identify not only the risk 

of recidivism, but attempt to discern categories 

of needs in areas identifi ed as being most likely 

to impact recidivism, including education, 

employment, fi nancial, family, housing, leisure, 

substance abuse, critical thinking, and personal 

needs. 

The LSI-R, for example, is composed of 54 items, 

41 of which are recorded as yes/no responses. The 

remaining 13 are scored on a scale from 0 to 3 where 

“0” indicates “a very unsatisfactory situation with a 

very clear and strong need for improvement,” and 

“3” represents “a satisfactory situation with no need 

of improvement.” According to the guidelines, those 

scoring between 0 and 13 are classifi ed as low risk/ 

needs offenders, 14 to 23 as low/moderate risk/ 

needs, 24 to 33 as moderate risk/needs, 34 to 40 as 

medium/high risk/needs and 41 or more as high 

risk/needs. 

38 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

At the Hampden County, Massachusetts, 

Correctional Center, the department utilizes the 

LSI-R short-form screening version (LSI-R: SV), 

which provides only a yes/no indication of need 

in eight categories and combines the survey 

instrument’s categories of companions with family/ 

marital support and the categories of fi nancial 

with education/employment. The range of the 

total score of the screening version is between 0 

and 8. As Hampden County screens all sentenced 

inmates entering the facility, it chose the short 

screening version because it takes only 10 minutes 

to administer, compared with nearly an hour 

for the long form. The Probation Department in 

Dallas, Texas, also utilizes the instrument in the 

management and supervision of nearly 25,000 felony 

probation clients. 

For more information on the LSI-R, contact MultiHealth Systems, Inc., at 800-456-3003 or visit www. 

mhs.com. For COMPAS information, contact the 

Northpointe Institute for Public Management, Inc., 

at 888-221-4615 or visit www.northpointeinc.com. 

Another advantage of a comprehensive risk/ 

needs assessment screen is the ability to reassess 

inmates with lengths of stay of more than 30 days. 

It is common for an inmate to come in as a high 

or medium security risk, but step down one or 

two security levels during his or her incarceration. 

Normally, the lower the risk classifi cation score, the 

more reentry programming is available. 

Summary 

Screens are tools you may use to identify the 

risks and needs of your population. You can also 

use screens as de facto reentry plans in certain 

circumstances. We purposely provided multiple 

screens, with different formats and focuses, so you 

can compare them to what you presently use. No 

screen is perfect, and there is nothing wrong with 

developing your own screen as long as it’s valid and 

reliable. 

References 

Brad H. Compliance Monitors. 2006. Ninth Quarterly 

Report on the Compliance Monitors. Supreme Court 

of the State of New York. www.urbanjustice.org/pdf/ 

litigation/brad_9threport.pdf 

Carroll, J. F., and John J. McGinley. 2000. “Mental 

Health Screening Form-III.” Project Return 

Foundation, Inc. www.asapnys.org/resources.html 

O’Neill, J. M. 2005. “Inmates: Jail Health Care 

Hasn’t Improved; Exclusive: Negligence Described 

Months After Scathing Report.” Dallas Morning 

News (July 9). 

Web Sites 

Brief Jail Mental Health Screen. http://gainscenter. 

samhsa.gov/html/resources/MHscreen.asp 

Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol 

(CIWA-AR). http://images2.clinicaltools.com/ 

images/pdf/ciwa-ar.pdf 

Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS). 

www.naabt.org/documents/COWS_induction_ 

fl ow_sheet.pdf 

Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R). 

www.mhs.com 

Mental Health Screening Form-III (MHSF-III). 

www.ct.gov/dmhas/lib/dmhas/cosig/mhsfi iisp.pdf 

National HIRE Network. www.hirenetwork.org 

The TCU Drug Screen II. www.ibr.tcu.edu/pubs/ 

datacoll/tcutreatment.html#CorrScreeningfor 

Treatment 

Texas Commission on Jail Standards, Mental 

Disability/Suicide Intake Screening. 

www.tcjs.state.tx.us/docs/mhmr.pdf 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/BKD143/11m.aspx 

Assessment Screens 39
Exhibit 3.1: Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 

Pre-Release and Reentry Services, Six Month Performance Indicators Summery 

40 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.1 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 41
Exhibit 3.1 (Continued) 

42 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.1 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 43
Exhibit 3.2 

44 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.2 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 45
Exhibit 3.3: New York City Correctional Health Services, Intake History and Physical Exam 

46 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.3 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 47
Exhibit 3.3 (Continued) 

48 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.3 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 49
Exhibit 3.4: GAINS Brief Jail Mental Health Screen 

50 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.4 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 51
Exhibit 3.5: Mental Health Screening Form III 

52 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.5 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 53
Exhibit 3.5 (Continued) 

54 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Exhibit 3.6: Texas Commission on Jail Standards, Mental Disability/Suicide Intake Screening 

County 

Mental Disability/Suicide Intake Screening 

NAME DATE OF BIRTH ___/___/___ 

STATE ID # DATE / / COMPLETED BY: ________________________ 

/ Was Inmate a medical, mental health, or suicide risk during any prior contact or

confinement with department? Yes _____ No _____ If Yes, when? _____________________ 

/ Does arresting or transporting officer believe that the inmate is a medical, mental health, or

suicide risk? Yes _____ No ___ 

/ MHMR contacted for CARE System check? Yes _____ No _____ ___ 

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR DETAINEE 

1. Have you ever received MHMR Yes No 

Services or other mental health services? 

2. Do you know where you are? Correct 

Incorrect 

3. What season is this? Correct 

Incorrect 

4. How many months are there Correct 

 in a year? Incorrect 

5. (a) Sometimes people tell me they Yes No 

hear noises or voices that other people

 don't seem to hear. What about you? 

(b) If yes, ask for an explanation: 

"What do you hear?" ________________________ 

______________________________________________ 

______________________________________________ 

______________________________________________ 

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS 

6. Does the individual act or talk in a Yes 

strange manner? 

No 

7. Does the individual seem unusually Yes 

confused or preoccupied? 

No 

8. Does the individual talk very rapidly or Yes 

 seem to be in an unusually good mood? 

No 

9. Does the individual claim to be someone Yes 

else like a famous person or fictional

 figure? 

No 

10. (a) Does the individual's vocabulary Yes 

(in his/her native tongue) seem 

limited? 

(b) Does the individual have difficulty Yes 

 coming up with words to express 

him/herself? 

No 

No 

SUICIDE RELATED QUESTIONS / OBSERVATIONS 

11.(a) Have you ever attempted suicide? Yes No 

(b) Have you ever had thoughts about Yes No 

 killing yourself? 

 If yes, When? _______________________________ 

 Why? _____________________________________ 

 How? ______________________________________ 

12. Are you thinking about killing yourself Yes No 

 today? 

13. (a) Have you ever been so down that Yes No 

 you couldn't do anything for more 

 than a week? (If no, go to 14.) 

(b) Do you feel this way now? Yes No 

14. When not on drugs or drinking, Yes 

 have you ever gone for days without 

 sleep or had a long period in your life 

 when you felt very energetic or excited? 

No 

15. Have you experienced a recent loss Yes 

 or death of a family member or 

 friend or are you worried about major 

 problems other than your legal situation? 

No 

16. Does the individual seem extremely Yes 

sad, apathetic, helpless, or hopeless? 

No 

COMMENTS ____________________________________________________________________________________ 

A SINGLE INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE, EXCEPT AS APPROPRIATE IN #3, INDICATES FURTHER EVALUATION SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. 

h/beverly/suicide/screen form (9/01/05) 

Assessment Screens 55
Exhibit 3.7: New York Commission of Correction, Suicide Prevention Screening Guidelines 

56 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Assessment Screens 57

Exhibit 3.7 (Continued) 
Exhibit 3.8: TCU Drug Screen II 

58 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.8 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 59
Exhibit 3.8 (Continued) 

60 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.8 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 61
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.9: PC Plus Employment Screen 

Beneficiary No: Dossier Number: 

First Name: Surname: 

Prison Number*: *if applicable 

Establishment 

1. Employment 

Do you want help with finding a job 

after release? 

Yes No 

If yes, please give brief details 

Were you in work immediately before 

prison? 

Yes No 

If yes, please give brief details 

Time spent unemployed (including time in custody)? 

< 6 mo. 6-11 mo. 12-23 mo. 24-35 mo. 

Is your job available to you on your 

release? 

Yes No 

Do you want help in keeping your job? Yes No 

Has contact been made with your 

employer? 

Yes No 

Current/Last Employer 

Named Contact 

Position (e.g. Manager) 

Address 

Contact Telephone Number 

Normal Hours of Work 

Don’t 

Know 

Don’t 

Know 

>36 mo. 

Don’t 

Know 

Don’t 

Know 

Don’t 

Know 

62 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.9 (Continued) 

Number of Employees
 

What other type of work experience have you had and what skills did you develop? 

What kind of work are you prepared to take? 

Full time Part time
 

Shift work
 Week end work 

Self Employment 

How far are you prepared to travel? 

Have you any computer skills? Yes 

Would you like careers advice? Yes 

Have you got a current CV? Yes 

If not, do you need one? Yes 

Do you have a current driving licence? Yes 

Have you any points on your licence? Yes 

If Yes, how many 

Do/can you have access to transport? Yes 

2. Education 

Did you complete your formal school education? Yes 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Do you have any qualifications? Yes No Don’t Know 

Subjects Qualification Type NVQ Equivalence Date Passed 

Assessment Screens 63
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.9 (Continued) 

Basic skills assessment completed? Yes No 

What was the result? 

If so, where was this done? 

Do you have problems with: 

Reading Yes
 No
 

Writing Yes
 No 

Using Numbers Yes No 

Has anyone ever suggested you might have dyslexia? 

Are/Were you working towards any Yes No 

type of qualification? 

If yes, do you want help in maintaining this? 

Name of college/university or 

training provider 

Contact Name (if applicable) 

Address 

Telephone Number 

Qualification/Course Studied 

Do you want help gaining any qualifications? Yes 

Don’t Know 

Normal Functioning 

Some Problems 

Significant Problems 

Don’t Know 

Don’t Know 

Don’t Know 

Yes No 

Don’t Know 

Yes No 

No N/A 

64 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

Exhibit 3.9 (Continued) 

If yes please give brief details 

Assessment Screens 65
Exhibit 3.10: Maryland Correctional Education Program Employment Screen

SURVEY OF OFFENDER BARRIERS TO REENTRY AND EMPLOYMENT 

NAME____________________________________ INMATE #_________________ 

FACILITY______________ DATE____________ 

This survey is constructed to help you find and recognize potential roadblocks that may 

keep you from getting the job you want when you are released. It is made up of 49 

statements divided into categories of related concerns. You will decide if the statements 

are relevant to your current situation or have little or no importance to you. You will be 

able to discover the major barriers to getting the job or career you want and work to 

overcome those obstacles before you enter the job market. 

Carefully read and think about each of the following statements. For each one, circle the 

number to the right that best describes how true that statement is for you at the present 

time. Circling “0” means that statement is untrue for you, “1” means that you are not 

sure how true it is for you right now, and ”2” means that the statement truly applies to 

your current thinking or situation. Realize that there are no right or wrong answers; these 

are simple statements that may or may not reflect your position. 

STATEMENT 

Category Definitely 

Not True 

Maybe 

True 

Definitely 

True 

I have little or no work experience. CP 0 1 2 

I never completed high school or got a GED. ET 0 1 2 

My driver's license is suspended or expired. PH 0 1 2 

I have prior conviction(s). O 0 1 2 

If someone criticizes me, I must take a stand 

and defend myself. A 0 1 2 

I don't know where I am going to live when I 

am released. S 0 1 2 

I don't know how to explain the gaps in my 

work history. JS 0 1 2 

I don't know what the job market is like in 

my hometown. CP 0 1 2 

I don't feel qualified to do the job I want. ET 0 1 2 

My health is not very good. PH 0 1 2 

Employers won't hire me because of my 

conviction. O 0 1 2 

It's all right to miss work anytime as long as I 

call in. A 0 1 2 

I have tattoos on my face, neck, or hands. S 0 1 2 

All I need to look for a job is a newspaper. JS 0 1 2 

I don't know what kind of job I want when I 

am released. CP 0 1 2 

I need some additional training for the job I ET 0 1 2 

66 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.10 (Continued) 

want. 

Child care will be a problem for me when I 

get a job. PH 0 1 2 

My first conviction happened when I was 

younger than 21. O 0 1 2 

Most employers take unfair advantage of 

their employees. A 0 1 2 

Drug or alcohol problems got me into trouble 

in the past. S 0 1 2 

I don't like to interview for jobs. JS 0 1 2 

I don't like the jobs I had in the past. CP 0 1 2 

My English is not very good. ET 0 1 2 

I take medications for a physical or mental 

condition. PH 0 1 2 

I will be under parole supervision after I am 

released. O 0 1 2 

I get depressed and frustrated when I think 

about looking for a job. A 0 1 2 

I have little or no contact with my family. S 0 1 2 

My former employers probably won't give 

me a good reference. JS 0 1 2 

I need to know how my skills and abilities 

can be applied to a new career. CP 0 1 2 

I have little or no experience with a 

computer. ET 0 1 2 

All my records and personal documents have 

been lost. PH 0 1 2 

My probation or parole was revoked; that's 

why I'm in prison. O 0 1 2 

When a co-worker gets on my case, it's OK 

to get them back. A 0 1 2 

I move around a lot to find jobs. S 0 1 2 

I need help starting an effective job search plan. JS 0 1 2 

I don't know what the future looks like for 

my job or career. CP 0 1 2 

I need a certificate or occupational license 

for my job. ET 0 1 2 

I won't have any transportation to get to 

work. PH 0 1 2 

My conviction involved a weapon. O 0 1 2 

If I have to be late to work, my boss needs to 

give me a break. A 0 1 2 

I don't know what special programs are 

available to help me. S 0 1 2 

Assessment Screens 67
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.10 (Continued) 

I don't have a resume. JS 0 1 2 

I don't know what kind of salary to expect in 

my career. CP 0 1 2 

My reading and math skills need improving. ET 0 1 2 

I have a disability and may need further 

assistance to get a job. PH 0 1 2 

I have convictions on record in other states. O 0 1 2 

My friends are the only ones who will help 

me when I get out. A 0 1 2 

I will have no source of financial assistance 

when I am released. S 0 1 2 

Employers are required by law to give me 

vacation and benefits. JS 0 1 2 

© Copyright 2002 New Mexico Corrections Department 

Modified by and Adapted for Maryland Correctional Education Program 2003 

The statements you just completed are arranged into specific barrier categories 

designated in the box to the right of the statement. For each category, add up the 

numbers you circled and put that sum in the appropriate category box below. 

CATEGORY 

Total Points 

Career Planning Issues CP 

Education/Training Issues ET 

Personal/Health Issues PH 

Offender Issues O 

Attitude Issues A 

Support Issues S 

Job Search Issues JS 

High scores are not necessarily better or worse than low scores; they simply measure the 

number of barriers that you have in each category. Categories with the highest scores are 

those that can cause you the greatest problems in searching for a job or being successful 

at work. Look over the descriptions below and pay close attention to your categories 

with the highest scores. 

Career Planning Issues: Barriers of this type indicate lack of vocational planning or 

career decision-making skills. You may not have sufficient or realistic information about 

the labor market in your local area or the state. You may not know about various 

68 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.10 (Continued) 

occupations and what kind of job your skills match. You may be interested in finding a 

whole new career, but don’t know what that might be. 

Education/Training Issues: Barriers is this category indicate you might need additional 

training or education for the kinds of jobs that you want. You may have to finish your 

high school education to obtain a GED. You may have to get employment training 

through vocational courses or on-the-job training or some other education or training 

program. 

Personal/Health Issues: These barriers result from personal and/or health related issues 

that you feel would prohibit you from obtaining or keeping a job. Lack of child care, 

lack of employment records and documents, disabilities, and lack of transportation are 

some problems that must be addressed and solved before your job search starts. 

Offender Issues: These are barriers that are unique to people convicted of felonies, have 

been incarcerated, and are trying to re-enter the job market after a period of time. These 

issues include type of offense, number of prior offenses, and any aspect of felony 

conviction that may affect an employer’s decision to hire you and your ability to hold 

onto and be successful in a job. These issues will continue to have an effect on your job 

and career search for the rest of your life and how you deal with your record will 

determine your career or job success. 

Attitude Issues: Some effects of being frustrated with your current situation may 

include items from this category. You may have low self-esteem, act out against others, 

feel like you are a failure, blame others for your situation, be sad or depressed, and won’t 

be able to find a job no matter what you do or change. 

Support Issues: Barriers in this category indicate that you might lack personal and 

financial resources to help you be able to have some support while you look for 

employment. You may have addiction issues that you are worried you cannot overcome. 

You may not know who or what resources are available to help resolve these issues that 

you feel are going to prevent you from presenting your best side to employers. 

Job Search Issues: These barriers reflect a lack of information or methods on how to 

conduct the most effective job search. You may be concerned with the way you 

interview or fill out applications. You may not know how to describe your skills to an 

employer, how to present a good first impression, or how a resume can help you get a 

job. You may not know how to find the best job leads and may be unfamiliar with the 

current employment regulations and laws. 

You have identified the barriers to your successful career development. Now you 

must develop a plan to overcome these issues. Use the spaces below to identify and 

prioritize the specific barriers you think are most important for you to overcome 

before you are released and you start your job hunt. Also, write down ways you 

have thought of that might overcome those barriers: 

Assessment Screens 69
______________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________ 

Exhibit 3.10 (Continued) 

BARRIERS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
 

1. ______________________________________________________________ 

2. ______________________________________________________________ 

3. ______________________________________________________________ 

4. ______________________________________________________________ 

70 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry
Exhibit 3.11: Maryland Correctional Education Program Job Interview Card 

Assessment Screens 71
Exhibit 3.11 (Continued) 

72 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

Exhibit 3.12: Davidson County, Tennessee, Correctional Development Center—Female 

Needs Assessment 

CORRECTIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER - FEMALE 

NEEDS ASSESSMENT 

GENERAL INFORMATION: 

Name 

First____________________ Middle_______________ Last___________________________ 

DOB________________ Social Security Number______-_____-__________OCA#__________ 

Marital Status: ___Single ____Married ____Divorced ____Widowed 

Race or Ethnic Background: African American/Black American Indian White 

Asian Mexican-American Hispanic Other 

Religious Preference: ______________________________ 

List any alias names: ____________________________________________________________ 

Current Address: ____________________________________________Phone#_____________ 

City__________________________ State____________ Zip Code_______________________ 

Length of time at this address: _____________________ 

Will you return to this address when you are released from jail? YES NO 

If no, where will you go? _________________________________________________________ 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: 

Referral Source: Court-ordered Attorney Other
 

Current Charge(s): ______________________________________________________________ 

Judge ____________________________ Length of sentence: ______________( ) Msd ( )Felony 

Release date from jail: _______________________________ 

Are you currently on probation or parole? YES NO What County?__________________ 

Length of time: ___________Probation/Parole Officer: _________________________________ 

Type of Probation/Parole: General Sessions/Metro State Community Corrections
 

Address: ____________________________________ Phone: ___________________________ 

Conditions of Probation or Parole: _________________________________________________ 

Do you have an attorney? YES NO If yes, Name: ________________________________ 

Phone: ________________________________ 

Previous Arrest History: (Charge, Year, Disposition, County ). # Charges in Davidson Co._____ 

Assessment Screens 73
 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

Exhibit 3.12 (Continued) 

FAMILY INFORMATION: 

Do you have any family members that are incarcerated? YES NO 

If yes, Name: _______________________________ Relationship: ________________________ 

Children: 

Name Age Sex Who has custody?
 

1. ____________________________________________________________________________ 

2. ____________________________________________________________________________ 

3. ____________________________________________________________________________ 

4. ____________________________________________________________________________ 

5. ____________________________________________________________________________ 

(More than five, list on back) 

Are you involved with Department of Children Services? YES NO 

Explain: ______________________________________________________________________ 

DCS Caseworker’s Name: _________________________________Phone #________________ 

Does anyone in your family or your significant other use illegal drugs or alcohol? YES NO 

Explain: ______________________________________________________________________ 

EDUCATION/ EMPLOYMENT/ MILITARY: 

Highest grade completed: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 College: 1 2 3 4 GED 

If you have your GED, where did you complete it? ____________________________________ 

Date of completion: _________________ 

Explain any difficulties you had in school: ___________________________________________ 

List any specialized skills or education/training that you have: ___________________________ 

Did you use drugs before, after, or during school? (Circle one)
 

If so, what did you use? __________________________________________________________ 

How often? ____________________________________________________________________ 

Comments:
 

Were you employed prior to incarceration? YES NO 

74 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________ 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

Exhibit 3.12 (Continued) 

If yes, employer: ______________________________ Address: _________________________ 

How long was this employment? _________________________ 

Job title/position: _______________________________ Hourly wage: ____________________ 

Job Duties: ____________________________________________________________________ 

What are your vocational / employment goals? ________________________________________ 

Have you ever served in the military? YES NO If yes, complete the following: 

Branch: _______________________ Total time served: __________________________ 

Highest Rank: __________________ Type of discharge: __________________________ 

Did you receive any special awards or honors? YES explain: __________________________ 

PHYSICAL/MENTAL HEALTH HISTORY: 

Have you been treated for emotional /psychological problems in the past? YES NO 

If yes, 

Date Agency/Provider How Long Diagnosis Meds Prescribed 

Are you currently taking medication for a physical or psychological problem? YES NO 

If yes, what are you taking? 

Medication Dosage Reason Doctor Prescribing 

Do you have a disability? YES NO Do you receive: SSDI TANF FS? 

Describe: 

Have you ever had thoughts of hurting yourself or attempted suicide? YES NO 

If yes, when was the last thought/attempt, did you have a plan: 

Are you worried about your sanity? YES NO Explain: ____________________________ 

How much sleep do you get daily? _________________________________________________ 

Have you had a weight change of 15 pounds or more in the last 12 months? YES NO 

Assessment Screens 75
 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

Exhibit 3.12 (Continued) 

Have you ever been abused emotionally, verbally, or physically? YES NO 

If yes, explain: _________________________________________________________________ 

Did you attend individual counseling or support groups for this abuse? 

Explain: 

Have you lost any children? (abortion, miscarriage, custody, death) YES NO 

Explain: 

Have you received counseling for this loss? YES NO 

SUBSTANCE ABUSE HISTORY: 

Have you used drugs in the past 30 days? YES NO 

If yes, did you use in the 30 days prior to incarceration? YES NO 

What types of alcohol/drugs have you abused? ________________________________________ 

Drug of Choice:__________________________________ 

Have you ever overdosed on alcohol or drugs? YES NO 

Have you been told or suspect that you have a problem with alcohol or drugs? YES NO 

Have you been treated previously for alcohol and drug problems? YES NO 

How many times? ____________ 

Date Agency/Provider How Long Outcome 

If no: 

1.	 Have you ever felt the need to cut down on your drinking or drug use? YES NO 

2.	 Do you feel annoyed by people complaining about your drinking or drug use? YES NO 

3.	 Do you ever feel guilty about your drinking or drug use? YES NO 

4.	 Do you ever drink an eye opener in the morning to relive the shakes? YES NO 

5.	 Do you ever use drugs first thing in the morning to change the effects of

 another drug? YES NO 

Do you want to enter the treatment program? YES NO 

If so, what do you want to accomplish? _______________________________________________ 

Staff Signature _____________________________________ Date _________________________ 

76 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.13: Atlantic County, New Jersey, Department of Public Safety’s Biopsychosocial 

Assessment 

Assessment Screens 77
Exhibit 3.13 (Continued) 

78 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 3.13 (Continued) 

Assessment Screens 79
Reentry Strategies 4

Source: New York City Department of Correction 
 

 

Reentry Strategies 


T

he main goal of reentry strategies is to provide 

individualized reentry plans based on assessed 

risk and needs that coordinate programming and 

services in the jail and link inmates with appropriate 

community resources. Don’t worry; we don’t expect 

every inmate to participate in a multisession, 

formalized prerelease program. Sure, this would be 

ideal, but you may not have the time or resources to 

develop individual reentry plans for every inmate, let 

alone enroll them all in reentry programs. However, 

if your resources are limited, you need to carefully 

choose those inmates who really stand to benefi t 

from your services, and not waste your efforts on 

those who would do as well without the services, 

nor on those inmates who are not likely to be 

released to the street (i.e., deportation, transfer to 

state and federal prison). Targeting your services to 

the right inmates is as important as developing the 

services. 

The best way to determine the appropriate reentry 

strategies for your jail is to use your assessment 

screens and discharge planning questionnaires 

to group inmates into various reentry tracks. The 

type of reentry planning inmates receive depends 

on their behavioral and medical needs, reason for 

incarceration, length of stay in the facility, and 

previous employment and educational experience. 

Almost every inmate needs to receive some type 

of a reentry service. For some, it may be a onepage brochure of community health clinics they 

can access if they are ill, while for others, like the 

seriously and persistently mentally ill, their reentry 

plan may include transporting them to a mental 

health provider at release. 

This section outlines six reentry tracks based on our 

experience that one size doesn’t fi t all and jail 

populations are too fl uid and complex to pigeonhole 

inmates into a single reentry strategy. A reentry plan 

for an inmate detained for a few days is signifi cantly 

different than a plan for an inmate sentenced for 

several months. These tracks, however, are not set in 

stone, but rather provide a way to think about the 

dynamic nature of the inmate population and the 

strategies available to assist inmates. In addition to 

the examples provided in this section, the companion 

report, Life After Lockup: Improving Reentry from Jail 

to the Community, includes examples of 40 reentry 

initiatives in jails around the country. 

Track 1 

■	 Inmates: Low needs and/or very 

short stay 

■	 Reentry Services: General resource 

information 

Track 1 inmates receive a minimum level of reentry 

services. Two groups fall into this category. The fi rst 

group of inmates do not have any signifi cant needs 

at intake or during their incarceration. The second 

group may or may not have signifi cant needs, but 

they can’t be assessed and/or have a reentry plan 

completed because of their short length of stay in 

the jail. 

At a minimum, each track 1 inmate should leave 

the jail with a list of service providers and their 

contact information, such as information on local 

housing providers, employment agencies, and 

substance abuse treatment providers. In Travis 

County, Texas, inmates receive a one-page list 

83 
 

 

of numbers, including numbers for psychiatric 

emergency services, the crisis hotline, and the 211 

fi rst-call-for-help number (exhibit 4.1). The New 

York City Department of Correction takes it one 

step further and distributes a short-term reentry 

package to all releases. The package includes a 

“harm reduction and personal care kit” consisting 

of needed medications, clothing, and toiletries. The 

harm reduction kit, in English and Spanish, includes 

the following items: 

■ 	 A list of where to apply for free- or low-cost 

health insurance. 

■ 	 A trifold pamphlet listing community health 

clinics, with particular focus on areas of high 

inmate return. The pamphlet discusses HIV and 

STD counseling and explains that testing is free 

and confi dential. 

■ 	 A personal health record plan that can fi t in a 

person’s wallet and that individuals can use to 

chart their medical care, as well as write down 

the addresses of their health care providers, 

medical information, and emergency contact 

person. 

■ 	 A female condom, lubricant, and easy-to-read 

instructions on how to use it. 

■ 	 Three latex male condoms. 

Not all locations feel comfortable distributing 

condoms, but the New York City example is meant 

to offer a basic reentry strategy you can develop 

even when you don’t know inmates’ individual 

needs. 

A quick note on condom distribution: inmates are 

three times more likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS 

than the general population. The cost of condoms 

is minimal and saves taxpayers millions of dollars 

compared to HIV treatment. If you’re concerned 

about security, distribute the condoms at release and 

think of the public health difference you’ll make. 

Assume inmates don’t know the basic services 

available to meet their needs at release so any 

information you provide them is likely to be more 

than they know. 

All inmates should also have access to information 

about government benefi ts that can assist them 

during their reentry process. “Benefi t boards” 

located in areas of high inmate traffi c are an 

effective way to disseminate reentry materials, 

including informational pamphlets and applications 

from the Social Security Administration; state and 

local government agencies responsible for health, 

education, labor/employment, public assistance, 

drivers licenses, and housing; the U.S. Department 

of Veterans Affairs; and U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services (exhibit 4.2). 

Track 2 

■	 Inmates: Medium needs and/or 

longer stay 

■	 Reentry Services: Reentry plan and 

general resource information 

Track 2 inmates leave with a reentry plan stating 

how they plan to meet each of their needs and all 

services available to track 1 inmates. Referrals at this 

level are minimal; the onus is largely on the inmate 

to make his or her appointments. Rarely is there any 

follow-up by the correctional staff to determine if 

appointments were kept. 

A medical summary should be part of all reentry 

plans because inmates may have a diffi cult time 

accurately explaining their medical needs to a health 

care provider after release. Information listed would 

include any prescribed medications and how to use 

them, results of laboratory and diagnostic tests, 

and any other important information the inmate or 

community health practitioner needs to know. 

Written Reentry Plans 

An important aspect of the reentry process is 

developing a written reentry plan for inmates. 

Reentry plans, like assessment instruments, come in 

all shapes and sizes, and are intended to help make 

84 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

transition back to the community as healthy and 

productive as possible. 

Some plans are brief, stating an inmate’s housing, 

employment, and entitlement needs; treatment 

diagnosis; medication protocol; and physician to 

contact if a condition worsens. Other reentry plans 

include time and date of follow-up appointments, 

support services in the community to help with 

the inmate’s medical and employment needs, and 

illustrations on how to complete certain tasks, such 

as the administration of insulin. 

All reentry plans should be developed in 

collaboration with inmates and reviewed with them 

prior to release. Inmates should also receive a copy. 

Reentry plans should be written in a format that also 

allows them to be used subsequently by probation 

offi cers and other service providers to facilitate 

appropriate community supervision and case 

management. 

At the end of this section, we have included four 

reentry plans ranging from one to fi ve pages. The 

New York City Department of Correction Discharge 

Planning Questionnaire is one page and identifi es 

employment, family, benefi ts, housing, health care, 

and substance abuse needs (exhibit 4.3). This is 

an excellent instrument for assessing an inmate’s 

discharge needs and could be enhanced by including 

a section for appointments and other information. 

The Davidson County Sheriff’s Offi ce in Nashville, 

Tennessee, and the Department of Community 

Justice in Multnomah County, Oregon, use two-page 

reentry plans with space to write down medical 

and mental health appointments and referrals. 

An advantage of the Davidson County Sheriff’s 

Reentry Plan is the help numbers listed on the 

second page (exhibit 4.4), while the Multnomah 

County transitional-plan form does an excellent 

job identifying the type of referrals needed when 

inmates are released (exhibit 4.5). 

Our fi nal reentry plan example comes from the New 

York City Department of Correction’s RIDE (Rikers 

Island Discharge Enhancement Project (exhibit 

4.6). The content is not much more comprehensive 

Flesch Reading Ease Software 

Reentry plans need to be written at the reading 

level inmates can understand. Many inmates 

read between the fifth and seventh grade level, 

so consider that when developing your reentry 

plans (Haigler et al., 1994). 

An easy way to measure the readability of your 

reentry plans is to use the Flesch Reading Ease 

readability assessment software available in 

Microsoft Word. The Flesch Reading Ease Scale 

is “the most widely used formula to assess 

such general reading materials as newspapers, 

magazines, business communications, and 

other nontechnical materials” (Electronic Privacy 

Information Center, 2006). The following 

directions show how to access these readability 

statistics when using Microsoft Word: 

■ On the Tools menu, click “Options” and then 

click the “Spelling and Grammar” tab. 

■ Select the “Check Grammar with Spelling” 

check box. 

■ Select the “Show Readability Statistics” 

check box, and then click “OK.” 

■ On the Standard toolbar, click “Tools” and 

then scroll down and click “Spelling and 

Grammar.” When Microsoft Word fi nishes 

checking spelling and grammar, it displays 

information about the reading level of the 

document, including the Flesch-Kincaid 

Grade Level. 

than the one-page instruments; however, the format 

allows correctional staff ample room to include 

referral information for substance abuse issues, 

housing assistance, family reunifi cation assistance, 

education/employment, and provider information. 

This plan also requires the inmate to sign the 

agreement in an effort to increase buy-in and 

participation. 

Reentry Strategies 85
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does Your Written Reentry Plan 

Address These Needs? 

■ Mental health care 

■ Medical care 

■ Medications 

■ Appointments 

■ Housing 

■ Employment 

■ Substance/alcohol abuse 

■ Health care/benefi ts 

■ Income/benefi ts 

■ Food/clothing 

■ Transportation 

■ Identifi cation 

■ Life skills 

■ Family/children 

■ Emergency numbers for assistance 

■ Referrals to other services, court dates 

■ Summaries of jail-based treatments, 

laboratory and radiology results, and 

medication regimens 

Track 3 

■	 Inmates: High needs and/or 

longer stay 

■	 Reentry Services: Appointment for 

services, reentry plan, and general 

resource information 

Track 3 inmates require appointments for services 

prior to release, in addition to all reentry planning 

received at the prior levels. Typically, these are 

inmates whose special needs have been identifi ed 

at intake or during the reentry planning stage and 

the staff knows, or has time to fi nd out, the services 

available in the community to meet these needs. All 

appointments should be in writing with the name 

of the service provider, address, telephone number, 

time and date of appointment, and, if possible, 

public transportation routes showing how to get 

there. 

Though it goes without saying, only service 

providers committed and accessible to the inmate 

population should be included in a reentry plan. It’s 

frustrating when inmates contact service providers 

only to discover that the location is overloaded or 

cannot provide a service for some other reason. We 

recommend that correctional staff contact providers 

to verify their interest in working with inmates and 

having their contact information listed on a reentry 

plan. Ideally, the services will be available for free 

or on a sliding scale. 

You may also want to have a conversation with 

service providers about the use of appointments. 

Many people have a diffi cult time making their 

appointments after they are released and tend to 

show up hours if not a day or two late. Discuss 

with them how they can still service the drop-in 

population, understanding the need to provide 

services to former inmates regardless of their 

limitations. 

Inmates needing outpatient or residential drug 

treatment or HIV aftercare normally require track 3 

level reentry planning. For example, all diagnosed 

or self-reported HIV-infected inmates should receive, 

at a minimum, a reentry plan fi lled out with help 

from an offi cer, reentry planner, social worker, 

or case manager, who would then refer to and 

make an appointment with the appropriate health 

clinic or facility depending on the inmate’s needs, 

preferences, and place of residence. 

86 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

Track 4 

■	 Inmates: High risk and needs and/or 

longer stay 

■	 Reentry Services: Coordination and 

collaboration of services back to the 

community, appointment for services, 

reentry plan, and general resource 

information 

Inmates who are a signifi cant safety and health risk 

to themselves or the community are candidates for 

track 4 reentry planning. 

The goal is to provide a comprehensive, coordinated, 

and collaborative effort to ensure a continuum 

of care and treatment during the reentry process. 

Unlike track 1 through 3 inmates, track 4 inmates 

receive multiple interactions with reentry staff prior 

to release, and community service providers have 

contact with the inmates prior to the day of release 

to facilitate their transition to community programs. 

Ideally, service providers would be contacted within 

three days to verify the appointment was kept. 

Developing formal contracts with service providers 

is a common aspect of track 4 reentry. Depending 

on the population you decide to serve, inmates 

assessed at the track 4 level could constitute as 

little as 5 percent up to 25 to 30 percent of the total 

inmate population, including those with medical 

and psychiatric problems. If drug abuse treatment 

is included, the programming rate would be higher. 

Most track 4 inmates should also participate in track 

6 programming, described later in this section. 

Inmates who are seriously and persistently 

mentally ill and require outpatient mental health 

appointments are strong candidates for track 4 

reentry. One successful strategy involves mental 

health representatives transporting seriously 

mentally ill inmates at release to their mental health 

appointment. Inmates with active tuberculosis also 

meet these requirements. Local health departments 

need to be contacted prior to the release of someone 

with active TB. 

Track 4 inmates also include sentenced inmates 

with a known release date who appear to be good 

candidates and volunteer for this higher level reentry 

planning. Many of these inmates have participated 

in programming while incarcerated and want to turn 

their life around, but may need extra help. 

Inmates sentenced for 30 days or more at the New 

York City Department of Correction can volunteer 

to be part of the RIDE Project. Several community 

agencies work inside the jail to encourage inmates 

to continue treatment after release and offer direct 

transportation to community services at discharge. 

The following are the main components of RIDE 

(Martin, 2005, p. 2): 

■ 	 Early screening assessments to determine the 

employment, substance abuse, and housing 

needs, and history of the incarcerated person. 

■ 	 Immediate access to transitional employment 

programs. 

■ 	 Streamlined procedures for obtaining birth 

certifi cates and Social Security cards. 

■ 	 Completion of Medicaid application before 

release. 

■ 	 Immediate connection to case management 

in the community. 

The Hampden County Sheriff’s Department 

in Ludlow, Massachusetts, has incorporated a 

comprehensive public health model of care when 

reentering their inmates back into the community. 

Please see the companion report, Life After Lockup: 

Improving Reentry from Jail to the Community, for 

more information on this model. 

Law Enforcement 

Don’t forget to involve law enforcement and other 

public safety offi cials in the reentry processes 

for the inmates you are most concerned will 

reoffend or deleteriously affect the quality of life 

in the neighborhood of their return. For example, 

the Boston Reentry Initiative is an interagency 

Reentry Strategies 87
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

collaboration among the Suffolk County, 

Massachusetts, Sheriff’s Department, the Boston 

Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Offi ce, the 

Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offi ce, probation, 

parole, service providers, and the faith-based 

community. Started in 2000, their goal is to target 

services for individuals convicted of serious and 

violent crimes who are being released to Boston 

neighborhoods. Using a carrot and stick approach, 

the selected inmates, while incarcerated, participate 

in monthly meetings with law enforcement 

representatives who tell them they know who they 

are and will be paying attention to them when they 

return to the community. Therefore, it is in their best 

interest to “get with the program” and start taking 

advantage of the reentry programs offered at the 

facility and upon release so they don’t end up back 

in the system (Tompkins, 2005). 

Service Utilization 

Engaging service providers at the prerelease 

stage is important because inmates often do not 

utilize services even when they are available and 

Activities of Daily Living 

Is the inmate able to do each of the following? 

■ Bathing: sponge, shower, and/or tub. 

■ Dressing/undressing: able to pick out clothes, 

dress and undress self (tying shoes is not 

included). 

■ Toileting: able to get on/off toilet, clean self 

afterwards. 

■ Transferring: able to get in/out of bed and 

chair without assistance or mechanical aids. 

■ Eating: able to completely feed self. 

■ Mobility: able to walk without help except 

from cane, walker, or crutch and doesn’t need 

lifting from bed. 

accessible. As with most people, those in jail have 

a geographic comfort zone that doesn’t expand far 

from where they live. They are reluctant to seek out 

services they don’t know or to which they have to 

travel any distance. The face-to-face contact with 

a provider in the jail breaks down preconceived 

notions that no one is interested in helping them or 

understands their needs. Of course, most jails were 

not designed to accommodate agencies setting up 

shop inside a facility. Nevertheless, several good 

models exist. 

In 2006, the New York City Department of Correction 

opened the Discharge Planning Collaboration Center 

where representatives from the City’s Departments of 

Health and Mental Hygiene and Homeless Services 

have offi ces. The Center is open to all inmates and 

offers a variety of reentry services. For example, 

interviews for public benefi ts, such as Supplemental 

Security Income/Social Security Disability Insurance, 

take place in person, and Medicaid cards are issued 

before inmates are discharged. 

Don’t forget that you have to be proactive and invite 

the service providers to you. This isn’t always easy 

as providers are often reluctant to provide services 

during incarceration. Sell them on the fact that very 

often, you and they share the same clients, but they 

may not have known it. They shouldn’t be afraid to 

work in your facility, but they also must understand 

the importance of following the jail’s policies and 

procedures. More information on working with service 

providers and volunteers is located in Section 6. 

Track 5 

■	 Inmates: High needs 

■	 Reentry Services: Extended care 

placement 

Track 5 inmates will likely require arrangements 

for extended care placement or supportive housing. 

Inmates who have problems with activities of 

daily living (ADL) are candidates for this reentry 

88 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

level. The ADL screen on page 88 is frequently 

used in geriatric practice to assess an older adult’s 

appropriateness for independent living. Dr. Brie 

Williams, a geriatrician and correctional health 

care expert at the University of California at San 

Francisco, recommends that inmates who miss two 

or more of the ADL answers should be transferred 

directly to a nursing home or assisted living facility 

if family or friends can’t care for them. Inmates 

who miss one ADL and/or have fallen in the past 

year should be assessed more carefully for possible 

assisted living or nursing home-level care. 

Track 6 

■	 Inmates: Track 2 through 5 inmates 

■	 Reentry Services: Reentry programs, 

coordination and collaboration of 

services back to the community, 

appointment for services, reentry plan, 

and general resource information 

This is the most comprehensive level of reentry 

planning and, depending on the resources of the 

jail, can be used for track 2 through 5 inmates. 

Inmates are enrolled in a multisession, formal 

prerelease reentry program in addition to all track 1 

through 4 services. Reentry programs recognize that 

inmates sometimes lack hard skills (e.g., literacy, 

numeracy, basic mechanical ability, and other 

testable attributes) and soft skills (e.g., personalities 

suitable to the work environment, good hygiene, 

and group-oriented work behaviors), which can be 

a barrier for successful reentry. Reentry program 

curricula focus on issues of education, job skills, 

community resources, substance abuse, housing, 

life skills, personal identifi cation, and family 

reunifi cation. Preliminary data from several prisons 

report signifi cantly lower recidivism rates for those 

who complete reentry programs (Finn, 1998; Nelson 

and Trone, 2000). 

Courses Offered at the Snohomish 

County, Washington, Corrections 

Department 

■ Stress anger management 

■ Victim awareness education program 

■ Moral recognition therapy 

■ Relapse education program 

■ Parenting 

■ Nurturing fathers 

■ Life skills 

■ Breaking barriers 

■ Victim-defendant support groups 

■ Domestic violence perpetrator 

■ Employment readiness 

The Dutchess County, New York, Sheriff’s Offi ce 

Corrections Division has a fi ve-week Jail Transition 

program that you can learn more about at www. 

urban.org/reentryroundtable/cji_jails_draft.pdf. 

Scroll down to Appendix B: Weekly Progress 

Evaluation Checklist on page 29 to get a quick 

overview of the program. A copy of the Dutchess 

County Jail Transition Plan is located in the same 

report on page 34. Another recommended source 

to get an overview of how programs can be 

implemented in your jail comes from Orange County, 

Florida. Download the 15-page report The Orange 

County, Florida, Jail Educational and Vocational 

Programs at www.ncjrs.gov/pdffi les/166820.pdf. 

Summary 

Implementing reentry strategies lets everyone know 

that the jail is a proactive agency of change and 

not solely a facility of custody and control. There 

are no easy answers, and reentry plans can’t solve 

Reentry Strategies 89
every problem. Many inmates, however, can change 

their behaviors. You need the right strategies, tools, 

support, and a lot of patience. And the alternative 

of doing nothing is no longer viable. We know the 

public safety, cost, and health consequences of 

releasing inmates without reentry services, and it’s a 

situation that our communities can no longer afford. 

References 

Electronic Privacy Information Center. 2006. 

“Statement of William Lutz.” Author. 

www.epic.org/privacy/glba/vtlutz.pdf 

Finn, Peter. 1998. Texas’ Project RIO: Re-Integration 

of Offenders: Program Focus. Washington, DC: 

National Institute of Justice. 

Haigler, Karl. O., Caroline Harlow, Patricia O’Connor, 

and Anne Campbell. 1994. Literacy Behind Walls: 

Profiles of the Prison Population from the National 

Adult Literacy Survey. Washington, DC: National 

Center for Education Statistics. 

Martin, Glenn. 2005. “Rikers Island Discharge 

Planning Initiative: A New York City Jail Reentry 

Model.” National HIRE Network News 3(8): 1–10. 

Nelson, Marta, and Jennifer Trone. 2000. Why 

Planning for Release Matters. Issues in Brief. New 

York: Vera Institute of Justice. 

Tompkins, Steve. 2005. Boston Re-entry Initiative Hits 

Milestone. Boston: Suffolk County, Massachusetts, 

Sheriff’s Department. 

Web Sites 

The Orange County, Florida Educational and 

Vocational Programs. 

www.ncjrs.gov/pdffi les/166820.pdf 

The Dutchess County, New York, Sheriff’s Offi ce 

Correction Division reentry program. 

www.urban.org/reentryroundtable/cji_jails_draft.pdf 

90 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 4.1: Travis County, Texas, Sheriff’s Emergency Numbers 

Reentry Strategies 91
Exhibit 4.2: New York City Department of Correction Benefits Board 

92 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 4.3: New York City Department of Correction Discharge Planning Questionnaire 

Reentry Strategies 93
_____________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

Exhibit 4.4: Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office Re-Entry Release Plan 

Re-Entry Release Plan 

NAME: _________________________ DATE:_______________ 

ADDRESS: 

CITY: _______________________ STATE:_______ZIP CODE________ 

Identification: 

Housing (Where& with whom will you live with?): 

Transportation: (Who will be picking you up? How will you get home?) 

Medical Appointments: 

Mental Health Appointments: 

94 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________ 

Exhibit 4.4 (Continued) 

Re-Entry Release Plan 

Any Other Issues: 

Important Numbers for You: 

Metro Public Health Department (Birth Certificates): 615-320-5616 

Department of Safety: 615-741-3954 

Social Security Administration: 1-800-772-1314 

Nashville Rescue Mission: 615-780-9460 

Metro Action Commission (Financial Assistance):615-862-8860 

Ladies of Charity (Food Boxes and Financial Assistance): 615-327-3430 

Tennessee Department of Human Services (Food Stamps): 615-532-4000 

Bridges to Care (Health Care): 615-760-2799 

Campus For Human Development: 615-251-9791 

Madison Church of Christ (Furniture):615-860-3224 

Alcoholics Anonymous: 615-831-1050 

Narcotics Anonymous: 615-251-7462 

Cocaine Anonymous: 615-747-5483 

Mental Health Cooperative (Crisis Line): 726-0125 

MDHA (Housing): 615-252-8590 

Downtown Clinic (Health Care): 615-862-7900 

Reentry Strategies 95
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.5: Multnomah County, Oregon, Department of Community Justice Transitional 

Plan/Referral Form 

FROM: 

TRANSITION PLAN / REFERRAL FORM AGENCY: 

PHONE: 

DATE: 

CLIENT NAME SSN # (or other identifier) 

ADDRESS: DOB: 

PHONE: EMERGENCY CONTACT NAME / PH#:
 

IS THIS HOUSING STABLE? YES  NO  IF NOT, EXPLAIN:
 

DISCHARGE DATE: FROM: LENGTH OF STAY:
 

OTHER HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS AT ADDRESS: RELATIONSHIP / AGE: HOMELESS (yes/no)
 

PRIOR RESIDENCE:
 

HOMELESS HISTORY (dates / length of time): 

PREVIOUSLY IN SUBSIDIZED HOUSING? YES  NO  IF YES, WHERE: WHEN: 

PROBATION/PAROLE OFFICER: 

PENDING CHARGES: 

CONVICTIONS: 

OTHER PEOPLE IN HOUSEHOLD ON 

PROBATION/PAROLE? YES  NO  CONVICTIONS: 

LEVEL OF EDUCATION: HS DIPLOMA  GED  COLLEGE: VOC. REHAB. 

INTERESTED IN WORK? YES  NO  IF NOT, WHY? 

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY / JOB LEADS: 

MEDICAL COVERAGE? YES  NO  INSURER: 

LIST ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS: 

INCOME TYPE RECEIVING APP PENDING MONTHLY AMT CASE WORKER 

 SSI YES  NO  YES  NO  ________________ _____________________ 

 SSD YES  NO  YES  NO  ________________ _____________________ 

VA YES  NO  YES  NO  ________________ _____________________ 

 TANF YES  NO  YES  NO  ________________ _____________________ 

 UNEMPLOYMENT YES  NO  YES  NO  ________________ _____________________ 

 OTHER YES  NO  YES  NO  ________________ _____________________ 

FOOD STAMPS YES  NO  YES  NO  ________________ _____________________ 

IF PAYEE, WHO: 

TREATMENT TYPE PREVIOUS IF PREVIOUS WHEN COMPLETED CURRENT RECOMMENDED 

 ALCOHOL YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO 

 DRUGS YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO 

 MENTAL HEALTH YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO 

 COG YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO 

 SEX OFFENDER YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO 

 OTHER YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO  YES  NO 

SPECIAL NEEDS: MH  MR/DD  SEX OFFENDER  DV  GANG  MEDICAL  OTHER 

EXPLAIN: 

RELEASE OF INFORMATION SIGNED BY APPLICANT: YES  NO 

The information contained in this message may be legally privileged and confidential and is intended only for the use of the designated recipient. Any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message 

Page 1 of 3 

Created 8/17/04 

96 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.5 (Continued) 

by anyone other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If the reader has received this communication in error, please notify the sender of this message and destroy the original message. 

PROPOSED PLAN OF ACTION 

∞ A signed release of information must be included with each faxed referral ∞

REFERRALS NEEDED 

Housing Domestic Violence Utilities 

Food Vocational Rehabilitation Rent Assistance 

Medical Employment Aging and Disability Services 

Mental Health Unemployment ___________________ 

Drug and Alcohol Veterans Affairs ___________________ 

Social Security Corrections ___________________ 

Referral type: ______________________ 

AGENCY REFERRED TO: CONTACT PH#: CONTACT PERSON: 

APPT DATE/TIME: LOCATION: REFERRAL FAXED: 

YES NO

FAX #: 

Referral type: ______________________ 

AGENCY REFERRED TO: CONTACT PH#: CONTACT PERSON: 

APPT DATE/TIME: LOCATION: REFERRAL FAXED: 

YES NO

FAX #: 

Referral type: ______________________ 

AGENCY REFERRED TO: CONTACT PH#: CONTACT PERSON: 

APPT DATE/TIME: LOCATION: REFERRAL FAXED: 

YES NO

FAX #: 

Referral type: ______________________ 

AGENCY REFERRED TO: CONTACT PH#: CONTACT PERSON: 

APPT DATE/TIME: LOCATION: REFERRAL FAXED: 

YES NO

FAX #: 

Referral type: ______________________ 

AGENCY REFERRED TO: CONTACT PH#: CONTACT PERSON: 

APPT DATE/TIME: LOCATION: REFERRAL FAXED: 

YES NO

FAX #: 

FAMILY / FRIENDS / PRO-SOCIAL SUPPORTS: 

OTHER / ADD’L COMMENTS / CLIENT SPECIAL REQUESTS: 

Page 2 of 3 

Created 8/17/04 

Reentry Strategies 97
Exhibit 4.6: New York City Department of Correction, Rikers Island Discharge Enhancement Plan 

98 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 4.6 (Continued) 

Reentry Strategies 99
Exhibit 4.6 (Continued) 

100 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 4.6 (Continued) 

Reentry Strategies 101
Exhibit 4.6 (Continued) 

102 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Source: Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services

Identifying Community Resources 5 Source: Maryland Department o f P ublic Safety and C orrectional Services 
Identifying Community Resources
 

I

n the Introduction, we defi ned “reentry” as the 


process of transitioning inmates from jail to the 


community. In this section, we focus on the 

community aspect of reentry. First, we discuss the 

importance of knowing the communities that receive 

the disproportionate share of returning inmates. 

Second, we discuss the identifi cation and database 

development of community resources. Third, we 

identify tools jails can develop to help empower 

inmates to use community services. Finally, we 

discuss the family, a resource of vital importance for 

successful reentry. 

The Community of Return 

One of the main goals of reentry planning is to link 

inmates pre- and postrelease to service providers 

that can help them. The majority of released 

inmates have to fi nd services on their own, without 

assistance from the jail or service providers. Even 

if help is provided for the fi rst appointment, 

subsequent appointments will be left up to the 

inmates. Therefore, if possible, try to locate services 

for them that are available and accessible to the 

inmate’s home. Nobody wants to travel an hour 

away for a doctor’s appointment. Now think of a 

typical inmate with transportation problems and 

little, if no, money. What are his or her chances of 

making an appointment so far away? 

In most cities and counties, inmates are clustered 

in certain neighborhoods, often referred to as areas 

of high inmate return. Start by locating the census 

blocks, community districts, wards, or ZIP Codes 

where the majority of inmates live. You probably 

already have a good idea of the locations, but if 

you can take the time to map it out you’ll fi nd the 

visual display becomes an important tool when 

understanding the spatial relationship between 

inmates and services. Moreover, stakeholders can 

readily comprehend these maps. Mapping data 

also allows you to concentrate on locating service 

providers close to released inmates. It’s a sure way 

to increase utilization. This is particularly the case in 

rural areas where limited services and long traveling 

distances are major barriers to use. See Section 8 for 

further information on how your local college or a 

research institute can help you meet your mapping 

and other research needs. 

Resource Development 

The next step is to identify community resources to 

meet the needs of released inmates. A close working 

relationship with stakeholders, discussed in Section 

6, is helpful when identifying service providers. We 

recommend that you engage community agencies; 

correctional, probation, and parole offi cers; social 

workers; and inmates themselves to tap their wealth 

of knowledge on available services. 

You can also start with health and human service 

resource guides available in most cities and counties. 

The United Way or government agencies author 

these guides, and many times they focus on a 

particular need, such as homeless shelters, HIV/ 

AIDS health clinics, or job training sites. Don’t 

assume that the information in these guides is 

accurate and current. All services must be contacted 

before being listed as referrals and every six months 

to verify the information. Some service providers 

will tell you they provide multiple programs when 

105 
Service Provider Database 

Categories 

■ Agency name 

■ Program name 

■ Services provided 

■ Address 

■ Contact person 

■ City, state, ZIP Code 

■ County or geographic zone 

■ Phone number 

■ E-mail address 

■ Web site address 

■ Fax 

■ Days and hours 

■ Weekend days and hours 

■ Appointment required 

■ Referral required 

■ Language(s) spoken 

■ Eligibility requirements 

■ Program exclusions 

■ Space availability 

■ Documents required 

■ Fee structure 

■ Other information 

■ Date agency fi rst contacted 

■ Date agency information last updated 

■ Comments 

the reality is they mainly refer clients to other 

services. Make sure to question them on the specifi c 

programs they offer. Services not meeting the needs 

of the inmates should be deleted from the database 

and alternative agencies sought. 

Keeping track and updating service provider 

information is easy if you place the information in 

an electronic database. The sidebar at left lists the 

minimum categories to include in a community 

inventory. 

A benefi t of building an electronic database of 

services is the ability, with the help of a web 

designer, to use the database as the foundation of 

an online, interactive web site of service providers 

designed for the reentry population, their families, 

and professionals working with them. By now most 

of us are accustomed to reading reviews online 

about products we are interested in purchasing, and 

at times we base our decisions on other consumers’ 

ratings. An interactive reentry service web site is 

similar, where services receive quality rankings 

based, for example, on friendliness, cleanliness, 

active programs, hours of operation, and space 

availability. 

A few years ago, www.njsuccess.org became the fi rst 

interactive, online reentry-focused service provider 

database in New Jersey. The database contains 

information on more than 1,000 public and nonprofi t 

health and human service agencies and programs 

in New Jersey as well as information pages on, for 

example, obtaining identifi cation, obtaining a credit 

report, voting, cleaning up one’s record, and paying 

child support. Individuals using the database will 

fi nd information on food, housing, transportation, 

employment, legal assistance, education, drug 

treatment services, medical care, mental health, and 

much more. Social service professionals can post 

evaluations/comments of their experience with a 

program on the web site. 

Though correctional social workers, probation and 

parole offi cers, and former inmates frequently use an 

electronic database to locate services, the developers 

have found it diffi cult to get correctional personnel 

106 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

to rate the services online. One reason expressed 

confi dentially by a probation offi cer was that veteran 

social workers, case managers, and probation 

offi cers are reluctant to share their knowledge of 

quality service because it might mean fewer referral 

spots available for their clients. 

Another tactic for identifying helpful service 

providers is to ask former inmates. Consider 

convening several focus groups of recently released 

individuals and others released some time ago, and 

ask them directly which resources were helpful and 

which were not helpful, which programs are friendly 

to former inmates, and which won’t give them the 

time of day. Years ago, researchers in New York 

City tracked inmates for the fi rst 30 days after their 

release and provided real insights about the type of 

services former inmates valued and how they access 

them. 

Bridging the Knowledge Gap 

As with anyone, just because inmates may have 

lived their entire lives in certain communities does 

not mean they know the available services and 

how to access them. Easy-to-use reentry tools are 

necessary to support successful reentry. 

A user-friendly county- or city-specifi c resource 

brochure, pamphlet, or pocket-size resource guide 

will help inmates and their families have a better 

understanding of the community resources available 

to meet their needs. Resource brochures and guides 

range from listing the most important numbers and 

hotlines to providing a description of the challenges 

inmates face at release and helpful tips to manage 

them. Exhibit 5.1 shows the cover and exhibit 5.2 

lists the table of contents for the Essex County Smart 

Book: A Resource Guide for Going Home (Fishman 

and Mellow, 2005) to give you a better idea of 

information you may want to include. The Smart 

Book is available at www.state.nj.us/corrections/ 

OTS/PDFs/060524_essex_smartbook_fi nal.pdf. 

Also check out Going Home to Stay: A Guide for 

Successful Reentry for Men and Women in Cuyahoga 

County, Ohio. It’s available at www.211cleveland. 

org/pdfs/communityreentry.pdf. 

Preferably, reentry guides supplement other reentry 

strategies, but if no other alternatives are available, 

they can be a substitute for reentry planning and 

programming. As a secondary benefi t, reentry guides 

can help jail staff gain a better understanding of 

community services when assisting inmates with 

their reentry plans. Never print more than a 12­

month supply of reentry guides at a time because 

information changes rapidly and the guides become 

outdated. 

Development of Reentry Guides 

The following 12 recommendations for the 

development of reentry guides are excerpted, with 

some minor changes, from Mellow and Dickinson 

(2006). You can download the complete article from 

the Federal Probation journal’s web site. 

1. 	 Provide an honest and hopeful 

introduction. 

2. 	 Supply letters of support and 

sponsorship from other former 

inmates. 

Making It Happen & Staying Home (Whitaker, 2005, 

p. 5) includes positive statements by former inmates 

dispersed throughout the resource: 

Been in the game since I was 12. By the time 

I was 22, I was through. I gave up the game 

because I had children and I didn’t want 

them comin’ into the jail to see me. I’m soft 

but I know where I come from. 

3. 	 Prioritize crucial first steps, include 

a reference list for less immediate 

issues. 

The decision to prioritize issues for inclusion in a 

guide is necessary to keep the resource concise, but 

Identifying Community Resources 107
 it is likely to cause reasonable debate. The common 

issues and services that seem to be most relevant to 

initial release are obtaining identifi cation, housing, 

clothing, food, employment, health care, and 

substance abuse treatment. A reentry guide should 

focus on the immediate, crucial aspects of moving 

toward life stability within the fi rst few months after 

release; true self-suffi ciency and social reintegration 

should be handled through other routes. 

4. 	 Incorporate the guide into a training 

curriculum with in-person support. 

The most effective way to prepare inmates for 

reentry, according to many practitioners, is through 

in-person prerelease instructional programs. 

Introducing the guide and its contents during 

prerelease classes could familiarize inmates and give 

them a chance to make arrangements before release 

Exhibit 5.2: Essex County, New 

Jersey, Smart Book Table of 

Contents 

Exhibit 5.1: Front Cover of the Essex 

County Smart Book 

108 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to increase the likelihood of success. If a prerelease 

unit is not available as a transition unit, jails can 

establish a reentry unit inside the jail. 

5. 	 Provide the guide well ahead of 

release to help prepare a smoother 

transition. 

Having the guide available in advance could allow 

inmates to consider employment, housing, and other 

topics prior to release, weighing the feasibility and 

benefi ts of their options. 

6. 	 Include content that helps to manage 

specifi c challenges. 

Sample text of job letters and resume layouts can 

make guides more engaging and effective in helping 

plan for reentry. Exhibits 5.4 and 5.5, for example, 

are sample letters explaining one’s felony record to 

prospective employers and strategies for discussing 

the offense question. Specifi c forms for obtaining 

identifi cation documents (photo identifi cation or 

driver’s license, birth certifi cate, Social Security 

card) can also accelerate the employment process. 

7. 	 Include maps of cities, transportation 

routes, and the locations of major 

service providers. 

Maps of geographic areas with different service 

providers marked can be an excellent source of 

information, especially for those with minimal 

reading skills. An excellent example of this type of 

resource is the Baltimore, Maryland, Service Provider 

Map (exhibit 5.6). Designed for the homeless 

population of the city, the map is small and simple 

and identifi es the locations of many services. A map 

like this could be integrated into a guide as a foldout 

from the back cover (exhibit 5.6). 

8. 	 Include informative, motivational 

text, being conscious of prevalent 

literacy levels. 

Remember that most inmates cannot read above 

a sixth-grade level (Haigler et al., 1994). The 

complexity and length of text in a guide must be 

compatible with the literacy levels of the intended 

population. 

9. 	 Include only service providers 

committed and accessible to 

individuals with a history of 

involvement in the criminal 

justice system. 

10. Be sensitive to language barriers. 

The issue of developing foreign language versions 

for certain jurisdictions is also important to consider. 

For example, 15 percent of those in jails are Latinos, 

and though there are no data on these inmates’ 

language preference, it is assumed that a certain 

percentage understand Spanish better than English 

(Harrison and Beck, 2005). 

11. Keep the guide small, portable, 

and discreet. 

Following this recommendation will make the guide 

reasonable and attractive for former inmates to carry 

with them. If possible, the guide should be designed 

to be transportable in a back pocket (exhibits 5.1, 

5.2, and 5.3). Gang colors and obvious titles should 

be avoided. These small design features are likely to 

have important effects on usage of the guide. 

12. Evaluate reactions before and after 

publication of the guide. 

Objective evaluation of the guide to refi ne the 

fi rst edition and subsequent revisions is the only 

way to gauge effectiveness. Focus groups and 

questionnaires can be used with inmates, corrections 

staff, and reentry experts to help improve content. 

Identifying Community Resources 109
Exhibit 5.3. Front Cover of 

Maryland’s Reentry Guide 

Don’t Forget the Family 

It’s crucial that we also make use of the family 

as a resource in the reentry process. Not only can 

families provide important emotional support during 

and after release, but through their social networks 

they can also help inmates get back on their feet. 

A place to sleep, money for transportation, and help 

fi nding a job are helpful reentry roles families can 

play. Of course we recognize that many families 

have signifi cant needs themselves, and incarceration 

of a loved one can exacerbate the problems a family 

is already experiencing. 

Resource guides 

In the past few years, correctional facilities have 

begun to develop family resource guides as a fi rst 

step in fostering contact between friends, family 

members, and the incarcerated. Most of these 

handbooks are published by state correctional 

facilities, but some jails have published paper and 

online editions. We’ve provided the following web 

links to fi ve of these handbooks. 

Arkansas Department of Correction 

www.accessarkansas.org/doc/pdf/handbook.pdf 

Connecticut Department of Correction 

www.ct.gov/doc/lib/doc/pdf/familyfriendshanbook. 

pdf 

North Carolina Department of Correction 

www.doc.state.nc.us/Publications/2006handbook. 

pdf 

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 

www.cor.state.pa.us/portal/lib/bis/Handbook_for_ 

Families_and_Friends.pdf 

San Diego, California, County Jail 

www.sdsheriff.net/public/index.html 

In most cases, the content is limited primarily to 

policies and practices prisoners must abide by and 

the correctional policies families must follow (e.g., 

visitation rights, regulations for telephone use). 

However, even a basic guide can serve various 

important purposes, including (1) giving your jail 

an additional tool when interacting with family 

members; (2) reducing the knowledge gap on 

jail policies, practices, and regulations that many 

families face when a loved one is incarcerated; and 

(3) providing family members with information on 

how to communicate with their incarcerated family 

member about ways to improve themselves in jail 

and upon release. 

Jails can post family information on their 

departmental web sites and provide paper copies in 

110 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
the visitation room and other accessible locations in 

the jail. 

Family outreach events 

Another unique approach to engage family is to host 

a family outreach night where family members are 

invited to the jail for a question-and-answer session. 

Many times, representatives from governmental 

agencies and community service providers are on 

hand to talk with the families and discuss how they 

can help their incarcerated loved ones make use of 

community services upon release. 

Jail-based family resource centers 

Some local jurisdictions use family resource centers 

at the jail. The Strafford County, New Hampshire, 

Department of Corrections in Dover established a 

family reception center for inmates’ families and 

friends. The three goals of the center are as follows: 

■ 	 To provide a setting where people experiencing 

the incarceration of a loved one may come to 

receive support from others experiencing, or who 

have experienced, the same situations. 

■ 	 To provide a more positive and comfortable 

setting for visiting children. 

■ 	 To provide caring and knowledgeable persons 

and relevant materials that may provide families 

and loved ones with helpful information and 

resources to improve the situation they face 

through incarceration of loved ones. 

For further information on the Strafford jail family 

reception center, visit http://co.strafford.nh.us/jail/ 

family_center.html. 

Summary 

Identifying the community resources available and 

accessible to inmates going home is not a diffi cult 

process, but as with most things, if not carefully 

thought out, referrals may not support successful 

reentry. Start by identifying the communities of high 

inmate return. Next, if possible, develop a database 

of services offering programs in the inmate’s 

community. Third, be creative in identifying ways to 

educate inmates about these services. We focused 

on reentry guides, but some jurisdictions have 

developed reentry videos whereas others have 

designed comic books with reentry information. 

Finally, don’t forget that service provider information 

becomes outdated quickly. Find the time to update 

the information as often as possible so inmates get 

the highest quality of service referrals. 

References 

Fishman, Nancy, and Jeff Mellow. 2005. The Essex 

County Smart Book: A Resource Guide for Going 

Home. Trenton: The New Jersey Department of 

Corrections. www.state.nj.us/corrections/OTS/ 

PDFs/060524_essex_smartbook_fi nal.pdf 

Haigler, Karl O., Caroline Harlow, Patricia O’Connor, 

and Anne Campbell. 1994. Literacy Behind Walls: 

Profiles of the Prison Population from the National 

Adult Literacy Survey. Washington, DC: National 

Center for Education Statistics. 

Harrison, Paige M., and Allen J. Beck. 2005. Prisoner 

and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2004. Bureau of Justice 

Statistics Bulletin. Washington, DC: U.S. Department 

of Justice. 

Mellow, Jeff, and James M. Dickinson. 2006. “The 

Role of Prerelease Handbooks for Prisoner Reentry.” 

Federal Probation 70(1): 70–76. www.uscourts.gov/ 

fedprob/June_2006/handbook.html 

United Way of Greater Cleveland. 2006. Going Home 

to Stay: A Guide for Successful Reentry for Men 

and Women in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Author. 

www.211cleveland.org/pdfs/communityreentry.pdf 

Whitaker, Will. 2005. Making It Happen & Staying 

Home. New York: NYC Commission on Human 

Rights. 

Identifying Community Resources 111
Exhibit 5.4: Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 

Sample Letter of Explanation Regarding Felony Conviction 

112 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 5.5: Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 

Strategy for Answering the Offense Question 

Identifying Community Resources 113
Exhibit 5.6 : Baltimore, Maryland, Service Provider Map 

114 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Coordinating Stakeholders 

and Educating the Public 6

Source: New York City Department of Correction 
Coordinating Stakeholders 


and Educating the Public
 

T

o quote Commissioner Martin Horn of the 

New York City Departments of Correction and 

Probation, “we hold individuals for . . . brief 

periods of time, so the solution has to be in the 

community. . . . And unless communities take 

ownership of the manner in which they return to 

their communities, we can’t do it by ourselves” 

(Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, 2005, p. 13). 

Most of the time, however, communities need a 

little prodding to get on the reentry bandwagon. 

The question becomes which governmental or 

community stakeholder assumes leadership to 

convene relevant government and nonprofi t agencies 

to discuss reentry from jail to the community. Don’t 

wait for someone else to volunteer. Though you 

may not envision yourself as a boundary spanner 

(i.e., “individuals who can facilitate communication 

across agencies and professions . . . to coordinate 

policies and services”) you are well suited for 

the job (Conly, 1999, p. 7). First, you are most 

familiar with the comprehensive set of needs of the 

inmate population. Second, you have the clout and 

autonomy to bring the right stakeholders together 

without going through a lot of red tape. Finally, 

it’s good public relations. The community will 

recognize you as taking a proactive stand on public 

safety and health issues and taking seriously your 

governmental responsibility to use public resources 

effectively and prudently. 

Reentry Councils 

In Section 1 we spoke briefl y about reentry 

councils. We highly recommend that you assemble 

such a group to maximize the coordination and 

collaboration of reentry service providers. Set up 

an initial meeting with each agency to talk about 

the reentry council and what you are trying to 

accomplish. Invite them to take a tour of your jail 

and see what you are planning. This process takes 

some time but will provide long-term benefi ts. 

The fi rst goal, after you have earned their initial 

support, is to bring the stakeholders together, 

preferably over breakfast or lunch, to brainstorm 

about reentry challenges in your community. A good 

way to begin after everyone introduces themselves 

is to make clear that you are hoping for an open and 

honest discussion in the limited time you all have 

together. 

The next step is to ask everyone to list one or two 

barriers inmates face in your city or county when 

returning home. While you facilitate the discussion, 

have a staff member outline the points on easel 

paper pads to keep the information current in the 

participants’ minds. 

Now go around again and ask what barriers the 

individual agencies face in helping inmates address 

their multiple needs. Often these discussions tend to 

focus on external barriers of which the group has no 

control, so make sure to prod them to be honest and 

discuss challenges the group has the authority to 

change, including in your own department. Agencies 

are reluctant to air their dirty laundry, especially 

if the jail doesn’t acknowledge its own problems 

developing successful reentry strategies. 

The discussion we outlined above could easily take a 

couple of hours. Unless you plan to have a six-hour 

meeting, ask the reentry council if they mind having 

meetings once a month until there is a consensus on 

117 
Philadelphia Mayor’s 

Reentry Council 

what coordinated and collaborative reentry strategies 

can be accomplished. You can charge them to come 

back to the next meeting with a list of what their 

agency could contribute to facilitate reentry. Osher 

(2006) recommends the following delineation of 

roles and responsibilities: 

■ 	 Jail staff—undertake screening, assessment, 

crisis intervention and stabilization, and 

the initiation of treatment and social service 

interventions. 

■ 	 Court staff—develop conditions of release and 

coordinate their communication between the jail 

and the defendant or sentenced inmate. 

■ 	 Community providers—identify the capacity 

for timely acceptance of referrals, provide 

individualized services and supports, and 

participate in follow-up and monitoring 

activities. 

Make sure to read the Missouri Reentry Process 

(MRP) Local Team Starter Kit available at www. 

doc.mo.gov/reentry/PDF/Starter%20Kit.pdf before 

you develop and host your fi rst reentry council 

meeting. This 23-page reentry council starter kit 

provides easy-to-use tools, ideas, and suggestions 

for facilitating your meetings and discussions. 

The appendix is particularly helpful, including 

such items as minutes and outcome templates and 

brainstorming tools. Another excellent source is 

Restoring Hope through Community Partnerships: 

The Real Deal in Crime Control, published by the 

American Probation and Parole Association and 

available at http://web.appa-net.org/resources/ 

pubs/restoring.htm. This handbook (230 pages) is 

one of the best guides we know of on developing 

community outreach. It’s full of examples and 

templates. 

Who to Invite? 

A question that always comes up is “how inclusive 

should the stakeholder group be?” Representatives 

from the following agencies need to sit down 

together: corrections, probation, and parole; law 

enforcement; the courts; departments of health, 

human services, housing, and labor/employment; 

homeless agencies; treatment services; workforce 

development providers; the mayor and/or county 

commissioner’s offi ce; and any faith- or communitybased providers that currently work with individuals 

118 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

returning home from prison or jail. You might also 

want to invite successful formerly incarcerated 

people, as well as organizations comprising or 

working on behalf of the family members of 

individuals involved in the criminal justice system. 

Another big question always is “should I invite the 

community activist who is a thorn in my side?” 

These people eventually have to be brought into 

the mix, but don’t feel pressured to convene a 

large group at fi rst. It’s diffi cult, as you well know, 

to accomplish anything with 20 people at the 

table, representing different interests and different 

agendas, although Philadelphia has 44 members on 

its reentry council and it works for them. 

It often makes sense to start off small. If people ask 

why their agency was not invited—because word 

will get out—just say the decision was to start with 

the agencies and providers who have the most direct 

contact with released inmates in the 30 days after 

release, but the reentry council looks forward to 

involving all parts of the community eventually. 

Don’t forget to include victims’ advocacy groups 

such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). 

Part of the long-term healing process for many 

victims and their families is to know that inmates 

will become productive members of society. They 

want inmates to be held accountable for their 

actions when they return home. These groups 

recognize the importance of providing reentry 

services to facilitate their successful reintegration. 

You might be surprised at the level of cooperation 

you’ll receive from victims’ rights groups. 

Volunteers 

Volunteers can no longer be thought of as a group 

you only rely on for jail ministry or feel-good 

activities during the holiday season. Instead, 

volunteers serve a critical role in many reentry 

strategies, and jails need to maximize their resources 

by using volunteers. At no cost to you, volunteers 

bring their expertise, energy, and dedication to the 

jail and often donate program materials as well. 

Missouri Reentry Process (MRP) 

Starter Kit Table of Contents 

Index

Steps 

Instructions 

Pre-Meeting Requirements 

Step 1: Identify the Geographic Areas to Be 

Served by the Local MRP Team 

Step 2: Provide Overview of MRP 

■ Identify local stakeholders 

Step 3: Educate Attendees on MRP 

■ Determine members’ role 

■ Identify issues of the Missouri reentry 

process 

■ Identify 3–5 impediments to 

successful reentry 

Step 4: Provide Direction and Guidance to the 

Team 

■ Establish managerial control 

■ Build team cohesiveness 

Step 5: Strategy Development 

Step 6: Implementation Plan Development 

Step 7: Implementation Plan Monitoring 

Step 8: Measure Development 

Step 9: Monitoring 

Appendix Index (Tool Box) 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 119
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ada County, Idaho, Jail Volunteer 

Program 

By providing services and information, we teach, 

coach and guide inmates through a learning 

process so that they leave our facility better than 

when they came. 

The following is a list of some of our programs 

and services available to inmates, which are 

facilitated by more than 100 civilian volunteers: 

■ Alcoholics Anonymous 

■ Buddhist Meditation 

■ Physical Fitness 

■ Health Education 

■ Narcotics Anonymous 

■ Job Search Information 

■ Religious Services and Bible Studies 

■ Smart Money Management 

■ General Education Development (GED) 

How do I become a volunteer? 

If you are dedicated to improving the lives of 

others and want to make a difference, please 

review our minimum standards and submit your 

application today. You may mail or hand deliver 

your application to: 

Ada County Jail 

Volunteer Programs 

7200 Barrister Dr. 

Boise, ID 83704 

Source: www.adasheriff.org/Jail/jailVol.asp 

What a great public relations opportunity this 

is—when volunteers tell their families, friends, 

colleagues, or fellow worshippers the positive things 

happening at the jail. 

The best way to get the word out that volunteers 

are welcome is to openly solicit them through word 

of mouth, brochures sent to faith- and communitybased organizations, and online postings, as the Ada 

County, Idaho, jail does. 

Be creative. Many of your jails are located near 

colleges and universities with psychology, sociology, 

social work, law, public policy, and criminal justice 

departments. Bachelor’s- and master’s-level students 

are often required to do a semester- or year-long 

internship and can be, with the proper training, an 

additional inexpensive resource when developing 

and implementing reentry strategies. The exposure 

students receive during these fi eldwork opportunities 

often convinces them or reinforces their desire to 

pursue a career in corrections or reentry. 

The Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 

in Montgomery County, Maryland, has effectively 

used interns for a number of years in its PreRelease Center. At the end of this section, we have 

included the two-page internship informational 

sheet that Montgomery County sends to colleges and 

universities (exhibit 6.1). We recommend that you 

send your internship request letter to the chairs of 

individual departments and ask them to disseminate 

it to the professors in charge of supervising the 

interns. Also send it directly to the students and 

to the career centers of the colleges. What you’ll 

notice from the work description is that interns 

can work in many areas (e.g., case management, 

family and community liaison, resident verifi cation 

in the community). Montgomery County pays its 

interns a nominal stipend, but it’s not required and 

most students are eager just to gain the practical 

experience and the academic internship credit 

hours required to graduate. If developed properly, 

internship programs can also provide an excellent 

recruiting mechanism. More than 40 percent of the 

current staff of the Montgomery County Pre-Release 

and Reentry Services Division fi rst started as interns. 

120 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Understandably, security is a major concern when 

untrained volunteers have access to inmates and 

the facility. Do your homework ahead of time by 

developing written volunteer policies and materials 

to maintain the same level of professionalism and 

security you do with your correctional staff. At a 

minimum, volunteers should receive a safety and 

security orientation, a volunteer handbook or fact 

sheet, and a doctor’s letter stating that they have 

tested negative for tuberculosis (TB) in the past 12 

months. 

The following are volunteer materials you might fi nd 

helpful: 

■ 	 A volunteer service application from the 

Jefferson County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Offi ce, which 

screens for suitability and includes information 

needed for a criminal history background check 

(exhibit 6.2). 

■ 	 Jail Volunteer Information and Guidelines and 

Rules for Volunteers developed by the Jefferson 

County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Offi ce. Available 

at www.co.jefferson.or.us/sheriff/News/ 

JailVolunteerInformation/tabid/1354/Default. 

aspx. 

■ 	 TB testing letters to volunteers and primary care 

physicians, Montgomery County, Maryland, 

Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 

(exhibits 6.3 and 6.4). 

■ 	 Volunteer orientation form, Montgomery County, 

Maryland, Department of Correction and 

Rehabilitation (exhibit 6.5). 

■ 	 Volunteer certifi cate of appreciation, Davidson 

County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Offi ce (exhibit 6.6). 

Develop Formal Linkages 

Jails also need to develop formal linkages with 

governmental and nonprofi t agencies providing 

reentry services. At a minimum, this would 

include linkages with probation and public health 

departments, community health centers, community 

mental health centers, drug treatment programs, 

STD counseling and test sites, TB clinics, Medicaid 

offi ces, HIV infection services, one-stop workforce 

centers, housing providers, and service providers 

presently working with returning inmates. Section 

3 of the companion report, Life After Lockup: 

Improving Reentry from Jail to the Community, 

discusses collaboration efforts between jails and 

probation departments. 

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is an 

effective tool for formalizing these agreements by 

creating order and organization in a challenging 

and complex environment (Johnson and Sterthous, 

1982). Though normally not legally binding, or even 

considered a contract, an MOU lends a sense of 

credibility and professionalism to any interagency 

collaboration by clarifying the role of each party. 

Representatives of agencies seem to become more 

responsible when they sign their name on a piece of 

paper. The sidebar on page 122 outlines the reasons 

for using an MOU. Take the time to read Johnson 

and Sterthous’s 22-page A Guide to Memorandum of 

Understanding, Negotiation and Development for a 

complete understanding of how to develop an MOU. 

The authors provide models of MOUs at the end of 

the guide that are easily adaptable when developing 

interagency agreements for a returning population. 

We also provide two jail reentry MOUs at the end of 

the section. The Snohomish County, Washington, 

Department of Corrections signed a collaborative 

agreement with the county’s Human Services 

Department and the Washington State Department of 

Corrections (exhibit 6.7). The agreement outlines the 

role of each agency. The New York City example is 

a template for use between the jail and community 

service providers (exhibit 6.8). Note the paragraph 

on page 2 of the New York City MOU dissolving 

both parties of liability. A similar provision in your 

MOU could make the agencies you approach more 

comfortable signing such an agreement. 

Promoting Reentry 

Sometimes we forget that stakeholders and the 

community at large need to be sold on—or at least 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 121
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reasons to Have an MOU 

■ To delineate client fl ow 

■ To specify services to be provided by a 

provider agency to clients 

■ To specify the type of clients appropriate for 

the case management agency and how 

referrals should be made 

■ To facilitate communication by defi ning a 

process for regular meetings, phone contact, 

or data exchange 

■ To protect both parties against differing 

interpretations of expectations by either 

party, by spelling out details of the 

relationship 

■ To cut through red tape by defining new or 

altered procedures for clients 

■ To enhance the status of the case 

management agency in the community 

through formalized relationships with 

established or infl uential agencies 

■ To reduce friction over turf issues by 

specifying responsibilities 

■ To transfer authority to perform a mandated 

function from one agency to another or from 

one level of government to another 

Source: Johnson and Sterthous (1982) 

educated about—what we do. And let’s admit it, 

the public doesn’t automatically have a great deal 

of sympathy or support for inmates, making it even 

more important to publicize your reentry services 

and their success stories. 

It’s nearly impossible for the community to support 

your reentry strategies without you marketing what 

the jail does for the inmates and the community 

at large. You have to let the community know, 

with some kind of public relations or advertising, 

that proactive and rehabilitative jail services exist. 

How you sell your programs to one group may be 

different from how you market them to another, just 

like in a corporate environment, where advertising 

campaigns engage in niche marketing. Nevertheless, 

you need to promote reentry. 

There are numerous ways to promote and market 

your reentry successes, which by default also 

promote your jail’s image and reputation. Public 

relations activities, for example, include giving talks 

at the local Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, 

Lions Club, and Rotary Club. Public relations efforts 

also help build trust and awareness of what jails 

do in the community at almost no expense (other 

than time) and can be an effective way to generate 

public support when budgetary cuts are looming. 

Paul Mulloy, director of Treatment Services at the 

Davidson County, Tennessee, Detention Facility, 

drafted a letter to local stakeholders when he heard 

that two of the jail’s reentry programs were at risk 

of being cut in the following year’s budget (exhibit 

6.9). His letter-writing campaign was so successful 

that funds were found to keep the programs running. 

The success of this letter-writing campaign could 

only have happened in a city or county where the 

sheriff’s offi ce had done an excellent job of laying 

the groundwork for public support. 

Public relations and advertising go hand in hand, 

which is helpful when you are out in the community 

to distribute written materials that promote your 

jail’s reentry strategies. They don’t have to be 

sophisticated or slick to be effective. Brochures are 

a great way to inform, educate, and persuade the 

public about the importance of reentry. 

Why Use a Brochure? 

■ Brochures are cost-effective. 

Brochures are relatively cheap to print and 

inexpensive to distribute. 

122 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

■ Brochures are memorable. 

Brochures grab people’s immediate attention, 

providing a simple and compelling way to convey a 

great deal of information in a small amount of space. 

■ Brochures are easy. 

Brochures, unlike books or manuals, can easily 

be developed, transported, and distributed in 

considerable quantities. 

What Your Brochure Should 

Include 

We include two examples of brochures at the end 

of the section, one from the Kent County, Michigan, 

Community Reentry Center and the other from 

Montgomery County, Maryland (exhibits 6.10 and 

6.11). Feel free to use them as a template when 

designing your own brochures. Although you may 

think brochures are only necessary to promote your 

jail or your overall reentry programs, take a look at 

the variety of topics brochures have recently covered 

in jails: 

■ General discharge planning services. 

■ Educational courses for inmates. 

■ Employment/vocational centers. 

■ Religious services/spirituality seminars. 

■ Mental health services. 

■ Substance abuse treatment. 

■ Victim assistance. 

■ HIV/AIDS assistance. 

■ Self-help/anger management programs. 

■ Parental counseling. 

■ Legal assistance. 

■ Community awareness services. 

■ Self-control programs. 

■ Values/responsibility courses. 

■ Money/fi nancial seminars. 

■ Animal care workshops. 

Remember that the goal is to produce an attractive, 

easy-to-read brochure that connects the reader 

to your mission. The following design tips and 

examples from jails across the country should help 

you in the process. 

Brochure Design 

■ Title 

Examples: The Kent County Community Center; Safer 

Neighborhoods, Better Citizens: A Michigan Prisoner 

Reentry Initiative 

■ A slogan 

A slogan is a catchy phrase summarizing your 

mission. Good slogans are short and memorable. 

Examples: Helping offenders change their lives 

(Kent County, Michigan); Linking People and Public 

Services (New York City Department of Health and 

Mental Hygiene); New Avenues: New Hope, New 

Possibilities, New Potential, New Attitudes, New 

Opportunities, New Life, A New Me! One Day at a 

Time (Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Offi ce); 

Freedom through Responsibility (Montgomery 

County, Maryland, Pre-Release Center). 

■ An opening image 

The image should be eye-catching and relevant to 

your program, but avoid making it too fl ashy or 

distracting. 

■ Address and contact information 

This should include a name, address, phone number, 

and e-mail address. 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 123
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

■	 Mission statement 

Include a brief paragraph stating the purpose of the 

jail or program. Make sure to keep your mission 

statement short, to the point, and as comprehensible 

as possible. Example: To advocate for the least 

restrictive but most appropriate alternative to or 

transition from incarceration for individuals with 

a mental disorder or co-occurring mental illness 

and substance abuse disorder who encounter the 

criminal justice system (Offi ce of Behavioral Health, 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). 

■	 Objectives, goals, and benefits 

This is the only direct opportunity to “sell” your 

program. Make sure to put any positive press or 

encouraging quotes here. Example: The Reentry 

Employment Development Program provides 

employment preparation and skills so that exoffenders can rapidly engage in sustainable lawful 

employment (Montgomery County, Maryland, 

Department of Correction and Rehabilitation). 

■	 Description 

A good description answers the following: 

■ 	Who does your program aim to help? 

■ 	Who staffs your program? 

■ 	How long is your program? 

■ 	What are the different courses/sessions offered? 

■ 	What are the program living conditions? 

(optional) 

■	 Referral list 

How can someone participate or volunteer? Can they 

sign up themselves or is a referral from an offi cial 

contact needed? 

■	 A back page 

This should restate the program’s name, slogan, 

if appropriate, and contact information. 

Distributing Your Brochures 

Depending upon your particular program, brochures 

will be used to reach a variety of different people. 

These can include service agencies, program 

volunteers, jail administrators, inmates and their 

families, and community groups. Although it would 

be wonderful to simply distribute your brochure to 

the relevant party, contacts are not always so easy 

to access. You will therefore need to reach helpful 

and reliable community stakeholders. In the case of 

using a brochure to promote inmate participation, 

you may also need to send it to family members, 

friends, or other concerned parties. 

The following organizations may be particularly 

helpful in distributing your brochures: 

■	 Religious leaders/congregations 

Faith-based institutions have an obvious incentive 

to help those in need and also cater to a great variety 

of community members. They are also an excellent 

source of volunteers. 

■	 City council members 

City councils and county commissioners have access 

to public resources, can reach out to important 

contacts, and usually play an infl uential role within 

the community. 

■	 Service club members 

Groups such as the Lions Club and Rotary 

International are easy to contact and often contain 

reliable volunteers. 

124 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

■ Local college leaders/student groups 

University students often make capable and 

motivated volunteers and may have friends and 

family members affected by jail. 

■ Hospital/health administrators 

Health workers are not only deeply involved within 

the larger community but often occupy positions of 

great trust and authority. 

Making the Media Work for You 

In today’s interconnected climate, the media have 

a great infl uence on the general public. Media 

representatives do not merely deliver information 

but help shape the way the community views what’s 

going on in its own backyard. Indeed, a single 

news report, for good or bad, can spread greater 

awareness, sway community opinion, and lead to 

substantial policy change. 

It can seem daunting and diffi cult to fi nd helpful 

media resources as a public relations tool. Also, 

many correctional administrators don’t necessarily 

trust the media and prefer to follow the modern 

adage that “No news is good news.” The truth is that 

you need to get out there and promote your success 

stories, so when something negative happens, and 

it eventually will, you’ll have a relationship with the 

media that may help you minimize the incident’s 

negative impact. As the following text details, it is 

perfectly possible to make the media work for you. 

Finding an Appropriate

Media Source 

Newspapers 

Though it would be wonderful to gain a front-page 

article on the jail’s reentry successes in your state’s 

largest paper, local newspapers are usually easier to 

contact and generally much more receptive. 

Most basic is the newspaper letter to the editor. By 

writing letters to your local papers, you can spread 

awareness and disseminate specifi c information on 

reentry. Ordinarily a letter is written in response to 

a story the newspaper has already printed. Try to 

make your letter concise. 

More ambitious is the newspaper editorial. Editorials 

usually provide a public forum for personal opinions 

and important viewpoints. They can contain 

signifi cantly more information than letters and are 

often read by a considerably larger audience. To 

write an editorial, contact your local newspaper 

by phone or e-mail and ask for the employee 

responsible for editorials. Make sure you fully 

explain your goal and purpose, and try to arrange a 

meeting or telephone conference. The editorial itself 

should detail your jail’s mission, give a basic outline 

of the history of your reentry strategies, and provide 

any relevant contact or volunteer information. Make 

sure to have it proofread by a competent and reliable 

colleague; you want to present the most well-written 

and professional editorial possible. 

Finally there is the full-scale newspaper article. 

Journalists are always looking for a good story, and 

reentry is becoming an increasingly popular topic. 

Ask for an appropriate reporter and see if he or 

she has any interest in writing about your reentry 

services. 

Television and Radio 

Local TV and radio stations are always looking for 

informative programming. The most relevant format 

would be a TV or radio interview, wherein a guest 

and local host engage in a short and informative 

discussion. You should call your nearest station, 

inquire into any community interview programs, and 

contact the producer responsible for selecting stories 

and issues to cover. An interview provides a great 

way to spread the word, relaying your program’s 

purpose in a concise and engaging format. 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 125
The Internet 

The World Wide Web is quickly overtaking 

conventional media formats, and most businesses now 

provide some sort of informational web site. Although 

keeping a blog may be a bit much, a web site featuring 

your jail’s reentry programs and strategies is easy and 

inexpensive to create. Indeed, not having a web site can 

make your department seem old-fashioned and even 

unprofessional. There are a variety of ways to design 

your web site; instructions and templates can be found 

at www.build-your-website.co.uk and www.make-aweb-site.com. 

Convincing the Media 

You may know which media sources to contact but 

remain unsure of how to properly sell your reentry 

successes. This will obviously vary from source to 

source and is often dependent upon the available 

space and public interest. There are some basic 

ways, however, to maximize your success: 

Stress the social and fi nancial benefits of reentry. 

Many people watching TV, reading the newspaper, or 

listening to the radio want to hear about something 

valuable and relevant. Media sources know that 

public interest stories mean big ratings and will 

respond favorably to socially positive and costeffective programming. 

Portray reentry as unique and innovative. Along 

with social benefi ts, audiences love original ideas 

and progressive causes. By presenting reentry as 

an up-and-coming issue, media sources may sense 

a potentially popular and lucrative subject. Avoid 

repeating tired old slogans and giving unnecessary 

details (unless specifi cally asked); you want to 

sound as exciting and enthusiastic as possible. 

Locate and pursue any possible connections. 

While having a person on the inside is exceptionally 

rare, you may have friends or relatives with 

connections to the media. Even if they have only 

limited infl uence, their knowledge and experience 

may be helpful. 

Be prepared. If you do gain media attention, it is 

essential that you act competent and knowledgeable. 

This means having all the relevant information at 

hand, being able to answer detailed questions and 

clarify any potential confusion. Always be ready to 

explain your jail’s mission, organizational structure, 

and reentry programs and share stories of successful 

former inmates. Further, try to be fl exible with your 

schedule and accommodating to any unforeseen 

needs or diffi culties. 

Media Matters 

A good relationship with the media may help you 

gain public, political, and fi nancial support. News 

and television stories not only spread greater 

awareness but can deeply affect people’s very 

thoughts and actions. Further, the Internet provides 

a forum for many different voices and can therefore 

prove to be a cost-effective and powerful tool. By 

ignoring the media you not only prevent greater 

public exposure, you avoid the wonderful possibility 

of having it work for you. 

A Selection of Recent Media Articles 

and Editorials Focused Upon Jail 

Reentry Programs 

Castelo, Veronica. 2007. “Working to Keep Former 

Criminals Out of Trouble.” News8Austin. www. 

news8austin.com/content/your_news/default. 

asp?ArID=177605. (Accessed June 12, 2007.) 

Ferrari, Lisa. 2005. “Jail Programs Prepare 

Inmates.” www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/news/ 

headlines/2050717.html. (Accessed June 12, 2007.) 

Louis, Errol. 2006. “What N.Y. Owes Ex-Cons—And 

Their Neighbors.” New York Daily News, November 

10, p. 49. 

Petrie, Kari. 2007. “Program Helping Former Inmates 

Thrive on the Outside.” Associated Press State & 

Local Wire, State and Regional News, January 29. 

126 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Reilly, Richard B. 2006. “Agencies Work to Lower Jail 

Recidivism.” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 16. 

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/ 

rss/s_475230.html. (Accessed June 12, 2007.) 

Russell, Matt. 2006. “New Transitional House 

Supports Inmates During Reentry.” McClatchy 

Tribune Business News, State and Regional News, 

November 16. 

Summary 

If you haven’t already, it’s time to redefi ne the role 

of your jail. Though the safety of your staff and the 

community is still paramount, jail administrators 

now also need to see themselves as one of the 

main leaders in reintegrating inmates back into the 

community. Reentry will fail without community 

and stakeholder support. Not only is it your job to 

help bring all the stakeholders to the table, but it’s 

also important to ramp up your public relations 

to magnify and celebrate your proactive reentry 

activities. 

References 

Conly, Catherine. 1999. Coordinating Community 

Services for Mentally Ill Offenders: Maryland’s 

Community Criminal Justice Treatment Program. 

Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice. 

www.ncjrs.gov/pdffi les1/175046.pdf 

Drum Major Institute for Public Policy. 2005. 

Marketplace of Ideas Transcript. New York: The 

Harvard Club, May 16. 

Johnson, Mary L., and Linda M. Sterthous. 1982. A 

Guide to Memorandum of Understanding Negotiation 

and Development. Washington, DC: U.S. Department 

of Health and Human Services. 

http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/mouguide.pdf 

Osher, Fred. 2006. “Short-Term Strategies to 

Improve Re-entry of Jail Populations: Expanding 

and Implementing the APIC Model.” Washington, 

DC: The Urban Institute. www.urban.org/projects/ 

reentry-roundtable/upload/osher_UI_paper.pdf 

Web Sites 

Missouri Reentry Process (MRP) Local Team 

Starter Kit. 

www.doc.mo.gov/reentry/PDF/Starter%20Kit.pdf 

Restoring Hope Through Community Partnerships: 

The Real Deal in Crime Control published by the 

American Probation and Parole Association. http:// 

web.appa-net.org/resources/pubs/restoring.htm 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 127
 

Exhibit 6.1: Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 

Pre-Release and Reentry Services Division Internships 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY 

Department of Correction and Rehabilitation
 

Pre-Release and Reentry Services Division
 

Internships 

The Department of Correction and Rehabilitation in Montgomery County, 

Maryland, offers an extensive work/training experience for interns. This program is 

designed to meet the students’ educational and career needs and is based at the 

Montgomery County Pre-Release Center in Rockville, Maryland. 

Pre-Release and Reentry Services 

The Pre-Release and Reentry Services Division is a nationally recognized model 

for community based correctional and reentry services for adult offenders nearing release 

from incarceration. It is one branch of a larger department offering integrated reentry 

services to offenders. Programs provided through the Pre-Release Center focus on 

employment, treatment for substance abuse, education, family and community 

participation, mental health counseling and life skills. 

The intern work experience at the Pre-Release Center includes; 

Supervision and management of inmates at the Center and offenders on 

home confinement 

Case Management 

Treatment Team Member 

Co-facilitating educational groups 

Family and community liaison 

Participation in disciplinary hearings 

Supervision of leisure programs 

Resident verification in the community 

Crisis intervention and counseling 

Teaching Life Skills and other topics 

Research 

Internship Details 

Income of approximately $300 every two weeks 

Stipend interns work 24 hours or more per week 

Academic interns usually work 20 hours or less 

Academic credit awarded through universities 

Working hours will include evenings and weekends 

128 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

Exhibit 6.1 (Continued) 

Minimum commitment of four months 

Other training opportunities available 

Approximately 15 interns accepted per semester 

Training 

Interns are assigned to a staff supervisor and receive weekly group and 

individual training as well as in-service and on-the-job training 

Qualifications/Requirements 

Must be at least 20 years of age 

Must have completed two years of college 

Must have career interest in human services
 

Must have a valid driver’s license
 

Must pass a background investigation and drug screening 

Selection 

Selection is based upon Montgomery County’s Office of Human Resource 

standards and an interview with Pre-Release Center staff 

To apply 

Contact: Intern Coordinator
 

Montgomery County Pre-Release and Reentry Services
 

11651 Nebel Street, Rockville, Maryland, 20852 

 Telephone: 240-773-4265

 FAX; 301-468-4420

 Email: james.shannon@montgomerycountymd.gov
 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 129
Exhibit 6.2: Jefferson County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Service Application 

130 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 6.2 (Continued) 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 131
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 6.3: Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation TB 

Testing Memorandum to Volunteers 

Memorandum
 

To: All Volunteers 

From: Patricia Braun,

 Volunteer Coordinator 

Re: TB Tests 

According to the Corrections Tuberculosis Training and Resource Guide (2004-

2005), correctional facilities house an inmate population with high risk factors for 

tuberculosis, in a setting that can increase transmission risk. Compared to the general 

population, inmates have higher rates of active and latent tuberculosis and have a higher 

risk of acquiring them. 

Prior to beginning your volunteer service for the residents of the Montgomery 

County Pre Release Center, you are required to submit proof of a recent (within the past 

year) negative tuberculosis test. If you need to be tested, you can go to your private 

physician or the Montgomery County Health Department, Dennis Avenue Health Center. 

The Dennis Avenue Health Center provides free tuberculosis testing, on a walk in basis, 

every Tuesday from 8:00 am to 12 noon and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. You will be required to 

return to the clinic on Thursday, during the same hours, to have your test read. The 

Dennis Avenue Clinic is located at 2000 Dennis Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland. The 

Clinic’s phone number is 240-777-1800. 

132 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

Exhibit 6.4: Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation TB Testing 

Letter to Primary Care Physicians 

Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services 

Dennis Avenue Health Center 

2000 Dennis Avenue 

Silver Spring, Maryland 

To Whom It May Concern: 

__________________ has been offered a volunteer position with Montgomery County Pre-Release 

and Reentry Services. In order to begin his/her responsibilities, s/he must provide proof of a recent, 

negative test for Tuberculosis (TB). Please provide this volunteer with a test and written results so that 

he/she can begin their duties. 

Thank you for your support and assistance! 

Patricia Braun 

Volunteer Coordinator 

Montgomery County Pre-Release and Reentry Services 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 133
Exhibit 6.5: Volunteer Orientation Form, Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of 

Correction and Rehabilitation 

134 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 135

Exhibit 6.6: Volunteer Certifi cate of Appreciation, Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Offi ce 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 6.7: Snohomish County, Washington, Department of Corrections Collaborative 

Agreement 

COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT 

Between 

Snohomish County Human Services Department and
 

Snohomish County Department of Corrections
 

The objectives of the partnership between Snohomish County Corrections, Human
 

Services, Washington State DOC are: 1) creating a seamless continuum of services to 

offenders; 2) reducing the rate of non-compliance with sentencing conditions; 3)
 

leveraging resources and preventing duplication of effort; 4) providing evidenced based 

programs based upon offenders risk and needs linked to criminal behavior; 5) promote 

public safety and healthy communities for the citizens of Snohomish County; and, 6)
 

creating a balance to the sentencing/sanctioning goals of the court, including punishment,
 

deterrence, and public safety and Human or correctional services to offenders by using 

increasingly limited resources as effectively as possible. All services are designed and 

selected specifically for the Center for Incarceration Alternatives and Options (CIAO)
 

population with an emphasis on successful reintegration into the community 

The Snohomish County Human Services Department (SCHSD), Snohomish County
 

Department of Corrections (SCDOC) and Washington State DOC (WADOC) agree to 

work together to better serve individuals incarcerated in the County Jail system.
 

Together we will provide a system of inmate services and educational programs that will
 

contribute to behavior changes with the ultimate goal of a reduction in recidivism through 

the prevention of homelessness and other risk factors that contribute to criminal activity.
 

These services will be funded by various funding sources through both departments.
 

Services will be provided based on the availability of funding.
 

SCHSD, SCDOC, and WADOC agree to create Subcommittees that focus on specific 

areas. These include:
 

∞	 Develop Partnerships with the Community 

∞	 Create Programs In and Out of Jail “No Wrong Door” 

∞	 Put Treatment Back in Jail Now 

∞	 Educate Policy Makers and Public 

To accomplish this, 

Human Services Department commits to the following: 

∞	 A Veterans’ Service Officer will respond to requests from incarcerated veterans 

for the purpose of a drug/alcohol evaluation, referral to a treatment facility and/or 

an application for other VA services/benefits that would keep a veteran from 

becoming homeless. 

136 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

Exhibit 6.7 (Continued) 

∞	 Develop a contract with a drug/alcohol treatment provider to conduct Alcohol and 

Drug Information School to inmates incarcerated at the jail sites. Assure that 

inmates wishing to enroll in a treatment program are connected to treatment upon 

their release from jail. 

∞	 Continue to explore with Corrections Department staff ways to better serve 

mentally ill offenders, especially those who have no address, to keep them from 

being released as homeless. 

∞	 Continue to explore with the Courts and Jail staff the idea of a Mental Health 

Court. 

∞	 Continue to explore with Corrections Department staff ways to refer homeless 

offenders, especially women, to emergency shelters in the community. 

∞	 Staff will continue to work with community providers to develop emergency 

housing for homeless single women. 

∞	 Continue to work with community service providers and the State Department of 

Corrections to identify the array of services that will be provided to the offenders 

in a Snohomish County Jail facility/program. 

Snohomish County Corrections Department commits to the following: 

∞	 Expand the classification tool and any assessment tool that may be developed to 

include questions that will determine if an inmate is homeless at the time they 

enter the jail or if they will be released in a 

∞	 Continue to work with the Washington State Department of Corrections and 

Human Services to develop and offer evidenced-based offender change programs 

to the in-custody and community correction inmates. Including 

o	 Stress Anger Management 

o	 Victim Awareness Education Program 

o	 Moral Recognition Therapy 

o	 Relapse Education Program 

o	 Parenting 

o	 Nuturing Fathers 

o	 Life Skills 

o	 Breaking Barriers 

o	 Victim-Defendant Support Groups 

o	 DV Perpertrator 

o	 Employment Readiness 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 137
 

___________________________ ___________________________ 

 

___________________________ ___________________________ 

 

___________________________ ___________________________ 

___________________________ ___________________________ 

Exhibit 6.7 (Continued) 

∞	 Assure that all incarcerated veterans are informed of the services provided by 

the Human Services Department Veterans’ Service Officers. 

∞	 At least twice a week, inform the Veterans’ Service Officer of the names of 

incarcerated veterans’ who are needing veterans’ services. 

∞	 Continue to explore with the Human Services Staff ways to identify those 

offenders who are homeless and strategies to alleviate offenders from being 

released from the jail in a homeless status. 

∞	 Work with the State Department of Corrections, Snohomish County Human 

Services, Snohomish County Office of Prosecuting Attorney, Office of Public 

Defense, Superior Court and District to develop a plan for designing and 

implementing additional sentencing options and alternatives for lower-risk 

offenders. 

∞	 Continue to work with Snohomish County Information Services and Human 

Services with the goal of improving the flow of information about offenders 

incarcerated within the Snohomish County Jail. 

For the Human Services Dept. For the Corrections Dept. 

Signature Signature 

Printed Name Printed Name 

Title Title 

Date Date 

138 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 6.8: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Memorandum of Agreement 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 139
Exhibit 6.8 (Continued) 

140 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 6.9: Davidson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office Letter of Request for Support 

Dear Friend; 

Every year in Middle Tennessee, thousands of people are sent to jail for violence, 

drug, or alcohol-related crimes. These same people are generally released back into the 

community within a relatively short period of time, often having received no 

rehabilitative services to change their lifestyles. In 1990, New Avenues, a state licensed 

drug and alcohol treatment program, was established to address this community problem 

within the jail setting. In 1994, S.A.V.E. (Sheriff’s Anti-Violence Effort) was established 

to address a community problem in the area of domestic violence. Since their inceptions, 

these programs have treated approximately 2600 individuals in jail who might otherwise 

not received any type of treatment. The combined reduction in rearrests ranges from 

49% to 56% per year. This reflects substantial savings to taxpayers in correctional costs 

but perhaps more importantly results in greater safety and peace in our communities and 

families. 

In this time of budget evaluation, it has come to our attention that the future of 

these life-saving programs may be in jeopardy. The mayor’s office is asking for budget 

reductions of 5% to 10% this year. Should the 10% reduction to the sheriff’s office 

budget be required, New Avenues and S.A.V.E. would be eliminated. We are writing 

this letter to alert you to this potential crisis and ask that you show your support for these 

valuable and unique programs in the jail. Enclosed you will find brochures about both 

programs and a letter that we ask you fax to the mayor’s office on March 27 by 12:00 

noon. We also ask that you call Mayor Bill Purcell or financial director David Manning 

at (615) 862-6000 to voice your concern about the possible elimination of New Avenues 

and S.A.V.E. 

We appreciate all of your past support of the New Avenues and S.A.V.E. 

programs and are confident that a community response will insure the survival of these 

programs. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Paul Mulloy, 

Director of Treatment Services at (615) 880-3864 ext. 241 or 833-6365.

 Sincerely;

 Paul Mulloy

 Dir. of Treatment Services

 New Avenues / S.A.V.E. 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 141
Exhibit 6.10: Kent County, Michigan, Community Reentry Center Brochure 

Exhibit 6.1 (Continued) 

142 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 6.10 (Continued) 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 143
Exhibit 6.11: Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation 

Reentry Employment Development Program Brochure 

144 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Exhibit 6.11 (Continued) 

Coordinating Stakeholders and Educating the Public 145
Requirements and Standards 7 Source: American Correctional Association 
Requirements and Standards 


A

s discussed in the Introduction, there are a 

variety of valuable reasons to develop jail reentry 

strategies. Although doing so makes great public 

safety, public savings, and public health sense, 

establishing reentry services can also help you 

avoid future liability and anticipate oncoming legal 

issues. Adapting reentry standards tells courts you 

are aware of current practices in the fi eld and have 

done everything possible to meet these advancing 

obligations. Indeed, as court cases and jail standards 

continue to increase nationwide, you will want to 

do what it takes to avoid being left behind. Acting 

too late may not only generate complicated legal 

problems but may also negatively affect your jail’s 

cost, care, and general environment. 

In this section we explore the legal aspects of 

planning for reentry, often referred to as discharge 

planning, primarily at the city and county level. The 

following information presents current cases and 

court precedents of discharge planning, and conveys 

its evolving nature and focus. It is important that 

you consult with appropriate legal counsel to ensure 

you are complying with relevant laws and policies in 

your particular jurisdiction. 

Notable Court Cases 

Estelle v. Gamble (1976) gave correctional offi cials a 

legal obligation to prevent inmate suffering, thereby 

granting a constitutional legitimacy to prerelease 

planning. As the Supreme Court ruled, “the infl iction 

of such unnecessary suffering (failure to treat an 

inmate’s serious medical needs) is inconsistent with 

contemporary standards of decency” (1976, 5). 

Indeed, though this important case did not directly 

affect reentry planning, it has had a signifi cant 

impact upon the overall continuity of care of 

inmates and has evolved, for example, to address 

identifi cation and treatment of the severely and 

persistently mentally ill inmate. 

In 2003, New York City settled a class-action 

lawsuit, Brad H. v. The City of New York (1999), 

concerning the appropriate steps required when 

discharging mentally ill inmates from the New 

York City Department of Correction. Brad H. cited 

several existing laws and regulations to support its 

argument that all seriously and persistently mentally 

ill inmates receive comprehensive reentry planning 

and transitional health care, including the New York 

State Mental Hygiene Law (Sec. 29.15). This statute, 

while explicitly mandating “providers of inpatient 

health services to provide discharge planning” (Barr 

2003, 101), also requires the following provisions: 

■ 	 A statement of the patient’s need, if any, for 

supervision, medication, aftercare services, and 

assistance in fi nding employment following 

discharge or conditional release. 

■ 	 A specifi c recommendation of the type of 

residence in which the patient is to live and a 

listing of the services available to the patient in 

such residence. 

■ 	 A listing of organizations and facilities, including 

those of the departments and individuals 

available to provide appropriate services. 

■ 	 An evaluation of the patient’s need and 

potential eligibility for public benefi ts following 

discharge or conditional release, including public 

assistance, Medicaid, and Supplemental Security 

Income. 

149 
According to Barr (2003), a minimum of 11 states in 

addition to New York “require discharge planning 

in mental health treatment settings” so litigation 

in other parts of the nation is expected to follow 

(118). While Brad H. built upon the Mental Hygiene 

Law, it also directly addressed inmate mental health 

needs. Discharge plans had to expand to include the 

following measures: 

■ 	 The release of inmates during the day so 

they can properly contact appropriate service 

agencies; 

■ 	 Available medication and transportation to 

community residences or shelters upon release; 

■ 	 Access to clinical information for relevant family 

and community members; and 

■ 	 An overview system to set goals for city 

agencies and assess their participation in reentry 

programs. 

Of course, reentry planning for the mentally ill has 

reached substantially beyond New York City: 

Santa Fe County, New Mexico, has agreed to 

provide outgoing inmates with at least a seven-day 

allocation of appropriate prescriptions in the case 

of those deemed physically and mentally disabled 

(Memorandum of Agreement Between the United 

States and Santa Fe County, 2004). 

In a court settlement following McClendon v. The 

City of Albuquerque (1996), Bernalillo County, New 

Mexico, sheriff offi cials mandated that outgoing 

mentally ill inmates be given discharge treatment 

plans, including a continuity of medication and 

information concerning Medicaid availability. 

Perhaps most notably, the U.S. Department of Justice 

and the State of Delaware have agreed to identify 

symptoms of mental illness among the state’s 

jail inmates and then refer any relevant cases to 

designated health specialists. Not only is discharge 

planning mandatory for those inmates found to be 

mentally ill, but this planning should be specifi cally 

tailored to the individual’s particular date of release 

(Memorandum of Agreement Between the United 

States Department of Justice and the State of 

Delaware, 2006). 

The courts have not only focused upon discharge 

planning for the mentally ill, but they have also 

expanded this notion to more general health 

concerns. In the court-ordered settlement of Foster 

v. Fulton County, Georgia (1999), all HIV-positive 

inmates are to be given an appropriate discharge 

plan, a medical care provider in the community, 

and an arranged date, time, and location of an 

appointment with that provider. Further, if an inmate 

is on any prescribed medication, he or she must be 

provided with suffi cient drugs to prevent any gaps in 

future availability. 

Although somewhat less popular, drug and alcohol 

rehabilitation programs have appeared as another 

important legal obligation. In the case of United 

States of America v. Nassau County (1997), Nassau’s 

County Correctional Center in New York agreed 

to establish a formal detoxifi cation program for 

inmates and permit those with serious disorders to 

participate in substance abuse treatment courses. 

Santa Fe County has agreed to identify jail inmates 

going through drug or alcohol withdrawal and then 

provide appropriate treatment, housing, and medical 

services to aid in their rehabilitation (Memorandum, 

2004). 

Although the majority of reentry cases have 

undoubtedly centered on health concerns, others 

have expanded the entire scope of discharge 

planning. In 2005, the New York City Council 

enacted a comprehensive administrative law seeking 

to identify inmates who cycle between jails and 

homeless shelters. The uniqueness of this law is 

that it transcends the idea that only special-needs 

inmates should have the legal right to reentry 

planning. In this case, inmates who serve a sentence 

of 30 days or more are entitled to a heightened level 

of postrelease services, regardless of their health and 

behavioral needs. 

150 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
According to this law (New York City Administrative 

Code, 2004, 1, 2), the New York City Department of 

Correction is mandated to undertake the following 

tasks: 

■ 	 Develop a process to identify individuals who 

repeatedly are admitted to city correctional 

institutions and who are housed in shelter 

provided by the [New York City] Department 

of Homeless Services either immediately before 

their admission to or after their release from 

these correctional institutions. 

■ 	 Collect information relating to housing, 

employment, and sobriety needs from any 

sentenced inmate who will serve, after 

sentencing, 10 days or more in any city 

correctional institution. The Department of 

Correction shall, with the consent of such 

inmate, provide such information to any social 

service organization that is providing discharge 

planning services to such inmate under contract 

with the Department of Correction. 

■ 	 Make applications for government benefi ts 

available to inmates by providing such 

applications in areas accessible to inmates in 

city correctional institutions. 

■ 	 Provide assistance with the preparation of 

applications for government benefi ts and 

identifi cation to sentenced inmates who will 

serve, after sentencing, 30 days or more in 

any city correctional institution and who 

receive discharge planning services from the 

Department of Correction or any social services 

organization under contract with the Department 

of Correction, and, in its discretion, to any other 

inmate who may benefi t from such assistance. 

■ 	 The Commissioner of Correction shall submit 

a report to the mayor and the city council 

by October fi rst of each year regarding 

implementation of sections 9-127 and 9-128 of 

this title and other discharge planning efforts, 

and, beginning October 1, 2008 and annually 

thereafter, regarding recidivism among inmates 

receiving discharge planning services from the 

Department of Correction or any social services 

organization under contract with the Department 

of Correction. 

Similarly: 

In Alberti v. The Sheriff of Harris County, Texas, and 

the Commissioners Court of Harris County, Texas 

(1975), a court determined that offi cers responsible 

for the operation and maintenance of a county 

jail are also responsible for providing adequate 

vocational and educational programs for inmates’ 

rehabilitation. 

State Jail Standards 

Although there have been a variety of important 

court cases that have informed jail reentry, the issue 

has further surfaced in state jail standards. Although 

state jail standards can be somewhat sparse, they 

are becoming increasingly comprehensive in scope 

and strictness. As in the court cases, while some 

reentry standards are only concerned with mental 

health, others are broad, to include education 

and vocational services. The list of states with jail 

reentry standards is likely to expand in the future as 

more and more states recognize the growing effi cacy 

of discharge planning. 

Texas 

Perhaps the most comprehensive jail reentry 

standards have been adopted within the State 

of Texas (Texas Commission on Jail Standards, 

2005). According to Texas law, each jail facility 

must provide drug or alcohol rehabilitation, 

vocational training, academic services, job 

placement programs, and treatment for “personal 

psychological or psychiatric problems” (Texas 

Administrative Code, Sec. 28). Further, “academic, 

reading and/or training programs” should be made 

available whenever feasible, and, if possible, even 

continued after release. Texas also spells out clear 

and comprehensive standards for inmates deemed 

Requirements and Standards 151
mentally ill who are to be identifi ed immediately for 

diagnosis and treatment. 

Florida 

The State of Florida has also developed a variety of 

reentry-focused jail standards. Among other things, 

designated offi cers must make a “reasonable effort” 

to acquaint inmates with local community resources 

(Florida Sheriffs Association, 2005, 37). Such 

resources may include, but are not limited to, mental 

health centers, drug rehabilitation programs, welfare 

California Minimum Standards for 

Local Detention Facilities 

Title 15—Crime Prevention and Corrections 

Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 4 

2005 Regulations 

Article 11. Medical/Mental Health Services 1210. 

Individualized Treatment Plans. 

(a) For each inmate treated by a mental health 

service in a jail, the treatment staff shall develop a 

written treatment plan. The custody staff shall be 

informed of the treatment plan when necessary, 

to ensure coordination and cooperation in the ongoing care of the inmate. This treatment plan shall 

include referral to treatment after release from the 

facility when recommended by treatment staff. 

(b) For each inmate treated for a major medical 

problem in a jail, the treatment staff shall develop 

a written treatment plan. The custody staff shall 

be informed of the treatment plan when 

necessary, to ensure coordination and 

cooperation in the ongoing care of the inmate. 

This treatment plan shall include referral to 

treatment after release from the facility when 

recommended by treatment staff. 

Source: Section 6030, California Penal Code 

departments, vocational courses, and local colleges 

or universities. 

California 

California lays out a number of similar measures. 

First, relevant library materials must be made 

available to help inmates reintegrate into their local 

community (California Department of Corrections 

and Rehabilitation, 2005, 68). Such materials 

must not only contain educational value but 

also information about community rehabilitation 

programs and other outside resources. Second, 

California standards encourage jail administrators 

to provide inmates with individual or family 

counseling, employment advising, medical services, 

prerelease and release assistance, and relevant 

services for the developmentally disabled. Finally, 

the majority of jails are required to provide a form 

of inmate education, including both academic and 

vocational courses. 

Nebraska 

Even broader standards are found within the State 

of Nebraska. In 1980, the state’s Standards Board 

mandated a number of proceedings; according to 

Title 81, “all detention facilities shall . . . offer a 

range of rehabilitative services and programs of 

benefi t to the inmates to assist in their successful 

reintegration into the community” (State of 

Nebraska Jail Standards Board, 1980). This set of 

services includes available counseling, high schoollevel education classes, and vocational services. 

Each detention facility may also institute a work 

program, either as a substitute or in addition to 

achieving inmate rehabilitation. 

Other States 

Texas, Florida, California, and Nebraska have passed 

a variety of relevant jail standards, and a number of 

other states have either adopted or are planning to 

adopt similar measures: 

152 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
■ 	Idaho has advocated that educational programs 

and materials be made available to those 

incarcerated (Idaho Sheriffs’ Association, 2003, 

47). 

■ 	New York has already required educational and 

vocational training for outgoing youth offenders 

and may soon include such programs for the 

general population (New York State Commission 

of Correction, 2007, 137). 

■ 	A number of other states, from Arkansas to 

Oregon, have begun to develop and mandate 

more progressive standards, which may include 

everything from vocational courses to full-scale 

reentry planning. 

Of course you don’t have to wait for court litigation 

or your state to develop reentry standards. Under 

the leadership of Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr., the 

Essex County, Massachusetts, Sheriff’s Department 

developed its own rules and procedures governing 

the reentry process. The reentry regulations are 

separated into 13 sections (exhibit 7.1). 

Though we do not advocate any particular format 

or content, the Essex County regulations do a good 

job of defi ning the issue and developing minimum 

reentry requirements. We have included in the back 

of this section all six pages of the regulations to give 

you an idea of the language they incorporate when 

defi ning the term “reintegration” (section 999.05) 

and describing the reentry system’s goals and 

objectives (section 999.06) and the process (section 

999.09). 

Professional Standards 

National correctional associations (e.g., American 

Correctional Association [ACA], American Jail 

Association [AJA], National Commission on 

Correctional Health Care [NCCHC]) not only help 

improve the reputation and integrity of the fi eld, but 

also ensure that important issues, like reentry, have 

a common voice when articulated to its members 

and the public. 

In recent years, ACA and AJA have embraced the 

reentry issue by including reentry workshops at their 

annual conferences and including articles in their 

newsletters and journals on the topic. AJA’s national 

conference in 2008, for example, will be dedicated 

to reentry. In addition, ACA has developed reentry 

standards. The third edition of ACA’s Standards for 

Adult Local Detention Facilities identifi es reentry 

issues ranging from health to employment. Standard 

3-ALDF 4E-19-2, for example, outlines the minimum 

procedures and practices required when identifying 

and treating inmates with recent substance abuse: 

■ 	 Screening and sorting. 

■ 	 Clinical assessment and reassessment. 

■ 	 Medical assessment for drug and alcohol 

program assignment appropriate to the needs of 

the individual offenders. 

■ 	 Referrals. 

And Standard 3-ALDF 5A-07 states that “the facility 

provides opportunities for inmate employment 

in correctional industries, facility maintenance, 

operations, public works or community projects” 

(ACA, 2006, 97). The same is true for education and 

vocational programming, standards 3-ALDF 5B-03 

and 5B-04, respectively. 

NCCHC has taken a position on health care issues 

directly related to discharge planning. The Health 

Services in Jails Standard #13 (J-E-13) states that 

“discharge planning is provided for inmates with 

serious health needs whose release is imminent” 

(NCCHC 2003, 77). More specifi cally, for planned 

discharges, health staff must do the following: 

a. 	Arrange for a suffi cient supply of current 

medication to last until the inmate can be seen 

by a community health care provider, and 

b.	 Make arrangements or referrals for follow-up 

services with community providers for inmates 

with critical medical or mental health needs 

(NCCHC 2003, 77). 

The NCCHC standard is an “important” standard, 

as opposed to an “essential” standard. For NCCHC 

Requirements and Standards 153
 

accreditation, facilities need to meet all essential 

standards and 85 percent of important standards. 

The following position statement excerpts come 

directly from the NCCHC web site at www.ncchc.org 

and focus on discharge planning for inmates with 

infectious diseases. 

Mental Health Services in 

Correctional Settings 

1. 	Correctional institutions should identify the 

mentally ill and those with mental retardation 

among their populations and, where legally 

permissible and clinically appropriate, refer 

these people to treatment programs in the 

community for intervention services. Where 

this is not possible, intervention services should 

be provided by the facility. In either case, 

correctional facilities and community- based 

programs should work together to ensure 

continuity of care for the inmate after release. 

Case management services should be available 

to ensure access to mental health and substance 

abuse treatment programs as well as to integrate 

family oriented treatment where possible. 

2. 	Comprehensive services that may be used in 

aftercare for people released from correctional 

institutions should be available in the 

community, including (1) outreach programs, 

(2) medical management of mental disorders, 

(3) medically supervised detoxifi cation, 

(4) toxicology screening, (5) hospitalization, 

(6) diversion programs, (7) individual and group 

psychotherapy, (8) milieu-based programs, 

(9) self-help groups, (10) family therapy, 

(11) assistance with housing, funding, and 

clothing, and (12) legal aid. Community mental 

health systems should provide cross-training for 

those staff members who are involved in the 

treatment of the mentally ill in the correctional 

setting. 

Management of Tuberculosis in 

Correctional Facilities 

Discharge planning 

a. 	All inmates who might be released prior to the 

reading of the TB test should be appropriately 

instructed and provided with appropriate 

referrals in the community for follow-up and 

treatment as needed. 

b.	 All inmates receiving anti-tuberculosis 

medications on discharge should be referred to 

the local health department and/or communitybased organizations for follow-up and treatment. 

Administrative Management of HIV in 

Correctional Institutions 

Ongoing prevention services 

Successful strategies to prevent HIV exposure 

include peer education, discharge planning, 

transitional case management, and harm-reduction 

techniques. 

Discharge planning is an important service that 

jails and prisons can provide. HIV-positive inmates 

need to receive prevention information, education, 

and treatment services that continue when they 

are released. However, it can be diffi cult for HIVpositive individuals to fi nd health care services 

outside the correctional environment. HIV-positive 

patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy 

(HAART) and those with low T-cell counts (CD4) 

need to have continuity of care upon discharge from 

jail or prison. HIV-positive inmates should be given 

suffi cient supplies of their medications to ensure that 

they will not run out. Depending upon community 

availability of HIV follow-up care, this should be at 

least 14 days’ worth, and preferably 30 days’ worth, 

of medication. HIV-positive inmates should receive 

instruction on the importance of taking antiretroviral 

agents continuously and the dangers of stopping and 

starting medications indiscriminately. Administrators 

154 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
should work with various agencies to provide HIV 

services to inmates and ensure postrelease HIV care. 

Correctional administrators can assist in the 

adequate staffi ng, training, and development of 

transitional case management programs. Case 

managers may conduct adherence checks of 

medications, follow up with patients for not keeping 

clinic appointments, and provide specialized 

counseling or referrals as needed. 

Management of Hepatitis B Virus in 

Correctional Facilities 

Discharge planning 

All inmates’ HBV vaccination data should 

accompany them when transferred to another 

institution or discharged. Because the vaccine needs 

to be administered over an extended time period, 

it is essential that facilities establish linkages with 

their community and public health facilities. These 

linkages should include a plan to complete the 

administration of the HBV vaccine, when necessary. 

Referral and linkage to an aftercare provider should 

be made for patients with active disease. 

Summary 

As we have seen, jail reentry is quickly becoming 

part of state and county standards nationwide. 

Adapting to these standards today can help you 

both avoid future litigation and anticipate oncoming 

requirements. Further, waiting things out may incur 

unexpected costs and therefore negatively affect your 

jail’s overall maintenance and environment. As jail 

reentry comes to dominate state and local agendas, 

you will want to set a positive and progressive 

example. 

References 

Barr, H. 2003. “Transinstitutionalization in the 

Courts: Brad H. v. City of New York, and the Fight 

for Discharge Planning for People with Psychiatric 

Disabilities Leaving Rikers Island.” Crime and 

Delinquency 49(1) 97–123. 

National Commission on Correctional Health Care. 

2003. 2003 Standards for Health Services in Jails. 

Chicago: NCCHC. 

Court Cases and Settlements 

City of Albuquerque, New Mexico. 2005. Notice 

of Proposed Settlement, McClendon v. City of 

Albuquerque, Civil Action Cause No. CV-95-0024 

MV/ACT. 

www.nmpanda.org/mcclndn/notprosettle.html 

Fulton County, Georgia. 2002. Foster v. Fulton 

County, Georgia, 223 F.2d 1292 (N.D. Ga 2002). 

Memorandum of Agreement Between the United 

States Department of Justice and the State of 

Delaware Regarding the Delores J. Baylor Women’s 

Correctional Institution, the Delaware Correctional 

Center, the Howard R. Young Correctional 

Institution, and the Sussex Correctional Institution. 

2006. www.usdoj.gov/crt/split/documents/ 

delaware_prisons_moa_12-29-06.pdf 

Memorandum of Agreement Between the United 

States and Santa Fe County. 2004. www.nicic.org/ 

Library/Default.aspx?Library=020184 

New York City Council Administrative Code. 2004. 

Local Laws of the City of New York for the Year 

2004. No. 54, Section 2, Title 9. www.nyccouncil. 

info/pdf_fi les/bills/law04054.pdf 

United States District Court, Eastern District Court 

of New York. 2001. Settlement Agreement, United 

States of America v. Nassau County Sheriff’s 

Department. www.usdoj.gov/crt/split/documents/ 

Nassa_sher_agreem.htm 

United States District Court, S.D. Texas, Houston 

Division. 1974. Lawrence R. Alberti v. The Sheriff 

of Harris County, Texas, Civ. A. No. 72-H-1094, 

December 12. 

Requirements and Standards 155
County and State Jail Standards 

American Correctional Association. 2006. 2006 

Standards Supplement. Alexandria, VA: American 

Correctional Association. 

California Department of Corrections and 

Rehabilitation. 2005. Minimum Standards for Local 

Detention Facilities, Title 15—Crime Prevention 

and Corrections, Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 

4. www.cdcr.ca.gov/Divisions_Boards/CSA/FSO/ 

Docs/2005_Adult_Title_15_Regulations_FINAL.pdf 

Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97 (1975). 

Florida Sheriffs Association. 2005. Florida Model Jail 

Standards. www.fl sheriffs.org/sheriffs/FMJS.htm 

Idaho Sheriffs’ Association. 2003. Idaho Jail 

Standards: Minimum Standards for Detention 

Facilities. www.nicic.org/Library/Default. 

aspx?Library=019370 

New York State Commission of Correction. 2007. 

Changes to County Minimum Standards Effective 

Sections, Subtitle AA. www.scoc.state.ny.us/ 

pdfdocs/standards_0107.pdf 

State of Nebraska Jail Standards Board. 1987 rev. 

Title 81, Chapter 8—Standards for Jail Facilities— 

Rehabilitative Services. www.sos.state.ne.us/ 

rules-and-regs/regsearch/Rules/Law_Enforcement_ 

and_Criminal_Justice/Title-81/Chapter-8.pdf 

Texas Commission on Jail Standards. 2005. Texas 

Administrative Code, Chapter 37, Part 9. http://info. 

sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_ 

view=3&ti=37&pt=9 

156 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 7.1: Essex County, Massachusetts, Sheriff’s Department Re-Entry Standards 

ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT 

105 ECSD 999.99 Re-Entry 

Section 

999.01 Purpose 

999.02 Cancellation 

999.03 Applicability 

999.04 Access to Regulations 

999.05 Definitions 

999.06 Re-Entry System Goals and Objectives 

999.07 Re-Entry Criteria 

999.08 Minimum Re-Entry Requirements 

999.09 Re-Entry Plan 

999.10 Appeal Re-Entry Decision 

999.11 Time Limits 

999.12 Department Review Board 

999.13 Severability Clause 

999.01 Purpose 

The purpose of these regulations is to establish rules and procedures, which govern the Re-Entry 

system at the Essex County sheriff’s Department. 

999.02 Cancellation 

103 ECSD 999.00 cancels all previous department policy statements, bulletins, directives, orders, 

notices, rules and regulations regarding inmate Re-Entry. 

999.03 Applicability 

103 ECSD 999.03 is applicable to all Essex County Sheriff Department employees and to all 

inmates who are serving a sentence imposed by the state of Massachusetts. 

999.04 Access to Regulations 

This policy shall be maintained within the Essex County Sheriff’s Department central policy file 

and shall be accessible to all employees and inmates. 

999.05 Definitions 

Reintegration –The evaluation, planning, and program conducted, and support services 

implemented, to prepare and assist inmates, to return safely to the community and to reintegrate 

as law-abiding citizens. A process of continued risk assessment, that provides a step-down 

process to prepare the inmate for re-entry into society, providing them with reintegration 

resources that will aid in their transition from prison to community. 

1
 

Requirements and Standards 157
 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 7.1 (Continued) 

ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT 

Pre-Institutional Assessment Information –Assessment of inmates is based on but not limited to: 

police reports, probation reports, court proceedings, substance abuse history, C.O.R.I., 

employment history, medical, family history and education status. 

Reintegration Coordinator – A department employee who is responsible for the ongoing process 

of re-entry and treatment of all inmates confined to the Essex County Correctional Facility, with 

the overall goal to enhance the potential for inmates to successfully reintegrate into the 

community, and be law abiding citizens. 

999.06 Re-Entry System Goals and Objectives 

ECSD views reducing the rate of re-offense by returning inmates as one of its highest public 

safety priorities. The department has adopted a comprehensive re-entry strategy including risk 

assessment, proven programs, step-down and supervised release. The primary goal of the ReEntry process is to prepare inmates for appropriate institutional adjustment, transition, and reentry to the community. To build a seamless transition from incarceration to re-entry into the 

community, by working with key stakeholders such as Probation, Parole, Police, Courts and the 

District Attorney. Provide a systematic means by which the security requirements and 

programmatic needs of inmates are assessed in relation to department rules and regulations, 

statutory requirements and available resources. All inmates are given an individual treatment 

plan. The individual treatment plan will work with key stakeholders in determining the 

offenders, best programmatic plan available. The treatment plan will detail an inmate’s path from 

incarceration to re-entry into the community, including eligibility status for: minimum 

placement, work-release, sober housing, and electronic monitoring. Re-Entry shall enhance the 

potential for inmate’s to be successful, law abiding citizens. 

The Superintendent or his designee shall be responsible for administering the re-entry plan at 

each facility. 

All staff with a need to know shall receive orientation to the current re-entry plan. Staff 

responsible for the implementation of the plan will be trained in the plan. 

Staff assistance shall be available to inmates throughout the re-entry process. 

999.07 Re-Entry Criteria 

Specific criteria shall be used to determine an inmate’s classification assignment; these criteria 

shall include, but not be limited to; 

1. Education Level; 

2. Employability; 

3. Drug and alcohol history; 

4. Criminal associates; 

5. Level of Violence; 

6. Mental Health; 

7. Family relationships; 

2
 

158 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 7.1 (Continued) 

ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT 

When combined with a criminal record, negative findings concerning these factors 

represents significant barriers to safe re-entry. 

. 

999.08 Minimum Re-Entry Requirements 

Inmates are eligible for Re-Entry services within their classification level. Lowest risk to reoffend will be moved to lower security promptly to establish connections to community 

resources needed upon release. Others earn their way to lower security levels, by participating in 

proven programming and treatment to address criminogenic factors. 

Maximum Security (ECCF) 

Inmates classified, as Maximum Security will be eligible for all re-entry services provided at 

E.C.C.F. (Middleton). No inmate will be excluded from re-entry services unless deemed a threat 

to the orderly running of facility. Inmates are provided individual treatment plans including, 

programs located at E.C.C.F (Middleton), based on Re-Entry Matrix System. Segregation 

inmates are given opportunity to meet with re-entry staff, prior to release, for housing, 

educational and substance abuse information relevant to community being released. 

Medium Security (ECCF) 

Inmates classified as Medium Security will be eligible for all re-entry services provided at 

E.C.C.F. (Middleton). No inmate will be excluded from re-entry services unless deemed a threat 

the orderly running of facility. Inmates are provided individual treatment plans including, 

programs located at E.C.C.F (Middleton), based on Re-Entry Matrix System. Re-Entry plans 

include but are not limited to, Substance Abuse for Offenders, Alternative to Violence, 

Educational Services, Transitional Housing and Vocational programming. Modifications will be 

made to treatment plan when classification level is modified. Modifications will include LCAC 

board recommendations. 

Minimum Security (CAC)
 

Inmates classified as Minimum Security will be eligible for all re-entry services provided at 

E.C.C.F. (Lawrence). No inmate will be excluded from re-entry services unless deemed a threat 

the orderly running of facility. Inmates are provided individual treatment plans that including, 

programs located at E.C.C.F (Lawrence), based on Re-Entry Matrix System. Programs provided 

but are not limited to are: Essex County Re-Entry Center, Substance abuse for Offenders, Anger 

Management, Educational Services, Job Development, Work release and Community Service, 

Transitional Housing. 

3
 

Requirements and Standards 159
 

 

 

 

Exhibit 7.1 (Continued) 

ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT 

999.09 Re-Entry Process 

Upon entering the ECSD each inmate shall undergo the initial Re-Entry screening. The 

screening provides an opportunity for Re-Entry Staff to become acquainted with each inmate 

through individual assessment, testing and structured interviews. All inmates will be given an 

individual treatment plan that starts from the day one of being sentenced. The Re-entry plan will 

include all program requirements from Maximum to Minimum status, if criteria of Matrix 

System are met. Inmates who do not meet criteria for minimum placement will be given the 

same re-entry services, however it will not include any minimum placement recommendations 

during incarceration at E.C.C.F. Per Re-Entry Matrix system. As part of this process, each 

inmate will receive copy of Re-Entry plan at initial classification; modifications of plan will be 

made by appropriate staff based on re-entry step-down process and matrix eligibility. 

Re-Entry staff will monitor inmate’s re-entry plan, providing information and services as needed. 

Re-Entry treatment plans will be completed within a reasonable amount of time following 

sentencing including the following procedures. 

Intake- Upon sentencing inmates are interviewed by re-entry staff 

creating an individual treatment plan on eligibility of Matrix 

system. Re-Entry staff will ask specific questions pertaining to 

inmate’s treatment, medical, mental health and re-entry needs. 

Scheduling of Probation Officer during incarceration is completed. 

Assigning of reintegration coordinator is done at this time. Review 

of inmate’s status will be based on inmate’s sentence structure. 

Exit- Sentence expire inmates, from Middleton, LCAC and 

Electronic Monitoring Program are assessed by re-entry staff 

within 30 days of release. Re-entry services relevant to treatment 

plan created at initial classification are offered. Recidivism data is 

entered into database to assist in post release supervision in the 

community. Post release supervision inmates (probation), 

scheduled are for transportation upon release to the supervising 

court. 

Statistics/Post Release- Statistical data is recorded upon sentence 

expires. Data is forwarded to statistical officer that researches 

recidivism of offenders. Community checks (post-release) is used 

to ensuring tracking of inmates in community. Re-Entry services 

post release will be offered to ex-offenders in community. 

Initial Classification Board Re-Entry Staff Responsibility 

Classification boards shall be comprised of no less than three (3) staff members identified by the 

Superintendent or his/her designee. One board member shall be designated as chairperson, and 

shall be responsible for the overall quality of the review process and for ensuring compliance 

with existing policies and procedures. One member shall be an employee whose primary role 

4
 

160 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 7.1 (Continued) 

ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT 

includes security responsibilities. One member will be developing individual treatment plan and 

documenting clinic information gathered. 

The inmate shall be notified orally forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the scheduled 

classification hearing. The inmate may waive such notice in writing. 

Re-entry staff makes recommendations to the board based on Matrix eligibility. 

Recommendations will include a re-entry plan from maximum to minimum-security levels based 

on eligibility and suitability of the offender. Post supervision (probation) recommendations will 

be considered at the initial hearing. Re-entry plans can be modified at any time during the 

incarceration. Lowest risk to re-offend inmates will be moved to lower security, to establish 

connections to community resources. Medium/Maximum security risks have to earn the privilege 

if eligible for lower security levels by participating in proven programming and treatment to 

address criminogenic factors in the step down process. Following the initial classification 

hearing, the inmate will receive copy of the re-entry plan agreed upon by board members. 

999.10 Appeal of Re-Entry Decision 

Where an inmate is not in agreement with any classification board recommendation, the inmate 

may submit a written appeal of the classification board’s recommendation to the Superintendent 

or designee with in {5} working days of oral notification of the board’s recommendation. 

The Superintendent or designee shall review the classification materials with any appeal 

submitted and render a decision within ten (10) working days. Appeal results shall be written on 

the appeal form. 

The Superintendent or designee shall identify members of the review board. All 

recommendations of the review board shall be forwarded directly to the Superintendent or 

designee, who will render a final decision regarding the inmate’s classification or placement. 

Within five (5) working days of the review boards oral notification of its recommendation to an 

inmate, the inmate may submit a written appeal of the recommendation directly to the 

Superintendent or designee. A written response to any inmate appeal in writing shall be made 

within ten (10) working days. 

999.11 Time Limits 

All procedural time limits set forth in 103 ECSD 942.00 are directory and may be waived by the 

Deputy Superintendent of Classification or their designee. 

999.12 Department Review Board 

This policy shall be reviewed at least annually from the effective date. 

999.13 Severability Clause 

5
 

Requirements and Standards 161
 

 

Exhibit 7.1: (Continued) 

ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT 

If any article, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of 103 ECSD 942.00 is for any 

reason held to be unconstitutional, contrary to statute, in excess of the authority of the Sheriff or 

otherwise inoperative, such decision shall not affect the validity of any other article, section, 

subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of these regulations. 

Matrix Definition: To assist staff in determining an inmate’s eligibility for Re-Entry 

services that will provide, them with structure, supervision and means necessary for reentry into the community. Provide standardized criteria for inmates, by eliminating 

subjective and personal judgments that could affect the step-down process of offender. 

6
 

162 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Measuring Success 8
Measuring Success
 

H

ow many times have you shaken your head in 

disgust when reading about government agencies 

that keep throwing money at problems without 

ever evaluating their effectiveness? Or even worse is 

when a program was assessed as a gigantic failure, 

but nothing changes and it keeps on running like it 

always has. 

Thankfully, localities are becoming wiser about the 

need to ensure that public funds are well spent. In 

times of fi scal constraints in particular, it is unlikely 

that your jail’s reentry strategies will be funded on 

an annual basis unless you can convince local and 

state politicians that these programs work and have 

a long-term cost-saving value. Anecdotal evidence 

of success, however, is no longer acceptable. All 

reentry strategies need to be evaluated. Not only 

will you save money by weeding out unsuccessful 

strategies, but evaluations will also provide you with 

hard evidence of your successes when requesting 

future funding. 

That said, if you don’t have in-house research 

staff you will want to partner with local research 

organizations or universities to begin evaluating 

your reentry programs. At the most basic level, your 

goal is to answer these three questions (Council of 

State Governments, 2005): 

1. 	Is the reentry strategy producing the desired 

results? 

2. 	Is the reentry strategy having the greatest 

possible impact? 

3. 	Is the reentry strategy making the most effi cient 

use of public funds? 

Process Evaluation 

The process evaluation will document all 

aspects of program planning, development, and 

implementation. The objective here is to learn 

whether the program is being implemented in its 

intended way. All too often a program starts off 

well, but over time, lack of funds, staffi ng changes, 

and the day-to-day realities of operating a jail can 

interfere with its implementation. The Orange 

County, Florida, Corrections Department designed 

an easy-to-use program review score sheet for its 

reentry program (exhibit 8.1). This way, the staff 

know if they are in compliance with their own 

standards. 

More specifi cally, process evaluations are often 

conducted to assess penetration rates and program 

fi delity. These terms are defi ned below. 

Penetration Rate 

Penetration is defi ned as the reentry strategy’s reach 

into the target population: the number of inmates 

engaged in the program divided by the number 

of eligible inmates in the target population. For 

example, the denominator can be defi ned as the 

number of inmates with a serious/chronic condition 

admitted to your jail during a given period. The 

numerator will be the number of those inmates with 

a serious/chronic condition who are engaged in level 

4 reentry services. 

Program Fidelity 

The process evaluation will document all 

aspects of program planning, development, and 

165 
implementation. This evaluation includes the 

examination of reentry staff qualifi cations and 

training, program location and hours of operation, 

staff caseload, supervisory structure, and reentry 

program content. 

An important part of the process evaluation is to 

analyze your jail’s data collection process and 

storage procedures to ensure that the data you 

collect are valid and can be easily retrieved in the 

future. Staff need to be trained on data entry and the 

importance of being consistent in how information 

is recorded. Poor quality data can impede an 

evaluation’s value and can be detrimental to your 

confi dence in the evaluation fi ndings. Ideally, all 

information—from assessment screens to discharge 

plans—would be entered directly into an electronic 

database. 

Representative Sampling 

The attrition rate of reentry program participants 

raises an important question: Are the inmates who 

are engaged in the strategies representative of the 

target population, or are they biased in some way? 

It’s important to monitor participation carefully 

and examine active participants, those who drop 

out, and nonparticipants to identify any important 

differences. 

Outcome Evaluation 

Once the process evaluation and data collection 

has begun, the data can be analyzed and used for 

outcome evaluation. The goal here is to identify 

the impact of the reentry strategy and the reasons 

behind the strategy’s success or failure in the 

short and long term. Unfortunately, the public 

has been conditioned to believe that rearrest and 

reincarceration rates are the only ways to measure 

reentry strategies. Although public safety is a very 

important outcome, we may as well quit now if our 

success is based solely on recidivism rates. The goal, 

then, is to broaden the defi nition of “successful 

reentry” before designing your outcome evaluation. 

This might include measures of public health (i.e., 

reduced health care costs and improved health of the 

returning inmates) and overall cost savings to the 

taxpayers. The following are all valid measures of 

whether reentry efforts are successful. 

Public Safety Measures 

■ 	 The rate of rearrest, reconviction, and 

reincarceration within three months, six months, 

one year, and three years. 

■ 	 The types of crimes for which people are 

rearrested. 

■ 	 The number of months individuals remain 

crime-free or violation-free in the community. 

Public Health Measures 

■ 	 The degree to which inmates use necessary 

health care services after release. 

■ 	 The number of contacts with primary care 

physicians. 

■ 	 The number of emergency room visits. 

■ 	 The number of psychiatric hospitalizations. 

■ 	 The level of medication adherence. 

■ 	 The degree of testing for chronic and infectious 

diseases. 

■ 	 The degree to which inmates apply for treatment 

upon release. 

■ 	 The number of treatment sessions completed. 

■ 	 The level of treatment enrollment. 

■ 	 The number of former inmates who continued 

in program(s) at 30-day intervals. 

■ 	 The number of days an individual remains drug 

free. 

■ 	 The number of positive drug tests or the number 

of individuals who test positive. 

166 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
■ 	 The number of homeless former inmates. 

■ 	 The number of former inmates enrolled in public 

benefi ts. 

Restorative Justice Measures 

■ 	 The amount of restitution collected. 

■ 	 The hours of community service completed. 

■ 	 The amount of fi nancial obligations collected. 

Educational and Employment Measures 

■ 	 The number of former inmates who participated 

in and completed vocational training. 

■ 	 The number of former inmates employed. 

■ 	 The number of days employed. 

■ 	 The wages/benefi ts earned and taxes paid. 

■ 	 The number of days inmates retain their jobs. 

■ 	 The degree of full-time employment (for those 

that need it). 

■ 	 The degree of job stability over time (decrease 

in number of job changes). 

■ 	 Educational attainment (from adult basic 

education through postsecondary education). 

Other Measures 

■ 	 Compliance with child support obligations. 

■ 	 Housing stability. 

Preferably your outcome evaluation will compare 

a baseline group who did not receive the reentry 

service to a group of inmates who did. Given the 

fact that many of the inmates who are directed to 

service providers will not take advantage of them, 

any outcome evaluation should pay careful attention 

to dosage: How much of the reentry service did 

each former inmate receive? Also, what proportion 

of the former inmates makes it to each stage of the 

reentry program? What did each participant receive? 

An evaluation should also identify the dropouts and 

compare them with those with a consistent usage 

pattern. 

You may want to work with researchers at a 

nearby university or college when designing your 

outcome evaluation. Some jails are reluctant to 

work with academics for fear that the fi ndings will 

be misinterpreted or used without their permission. 

More often, problems surface from the focus 

and timing of the study and the different needs 

and interests of academic researchers and jail 

practitioners. These concerns may be offset with a 

memorandum of understanding with the university. 

We provided a template of one memorandum of 

understanding at the end of this section (exhibit 8.2). 

Department Evaluation Resources 

Developing Local Research Capacity 

In the late 1990s, Sheriff Michael Ashe of Hampden 

County, Massachusetts, decided that he did not 

want to depend solely on universities and outside 

researchers to answer basic questions that would 

help him manage his inmate population. He 

started his own research department, led by a 

Ph.D.-level director, as part of a grant program. For 

his 2,000-bed jail system, he had many questions 

about internal operations and external factors. 

Internally, he wanted to evaluate the effectiveness 

and effi ciency of the jail’s security operations 

and rehabilitative programs offered to inmates. 

Externally, he was curious to analyze how external 

factors such as changes in sentencing, prosecutorial 

practices, probation, parole, and policing practices 

might affect jail overcrowding. 

In 2000, he tasked his research department to look 

at all the treatment and educational programs in his 

facilities and to examine whether they were running 

in accord with evidence-based practices. The 

research department conducted surveys, examined 

curricula, and convened meetings and determined 

Measuring Success 167
that many programs, though well intentioned, did 

not have a strong research basis in operation. As a 

consequence, the administration terminated these 

programs and redirected the resources to those 

programs that could demonstrate effectiveness. 

When the sheriff and superintendent were 

concerned with the rise in the number of inmates 

with mandatory sentences of 2.5 years for drug 

distribution in a school zone, the research 

department was able to track and quantify this 

trend. They learned that, unlike other jurisdictions in 

Massachusetts where this offense was often pleaded 

down to lower charges, their local district attorney 

was pursuing full prosecution of this offense. 

Because inmates serving mandatory sentences 

consume more jail days and cannot be moved to 

lower security programs, the sheriff was able to raise 

awareness of the policy implications of overcrowding 

the jail with these offenders. 

In a new collaboration with the state parole board, 

the research department assisted the Sheriff’s 

Department in developing new processes that 

increased the number of individuals leaving the 

facility on parole. However, the research department 

also found that the success of the collaboration 

was having unexpected consequences on new 

commitments; the rise in parole releases was 

accompanied by a signifi cant rise in the number of 

parole revocations into the prison. Again, the data 

were extremely valuable in guiding the Sheriff’s 

Department and the parole board to implement new 

practices. 

Finally, since 1998, the Hampden County Sheriff’s 

Department has conducted an ongoing study of 

recidivism and has generated a database of more 

than 15,000 individuals. The department has 

focused on sentenced offenders—approximately 40 

percent of its inmate population—and reports oneand three-year rates. Importantly, recidivism rates 

are computed for many subpopulations by offense 

type, demographic background, custody status, and 

program participation, including security status 

at the time of release. The annual report serves to 

validate the department classifi cation procedures by 

confi rming that those released from its communitybased programs have lower recidivism rates than 

those released from medium and maximum units. 

Hampden’s example demonstrates the power of 

developing its own research capacity and for a 

jail system to see itself as a larger partner in the 

criminal justice system and not just the receiving 

institution for populations from the courts, police, 

and probation and parole. Even in jurisdictions too 

small to support a full research department, it may 

be possible to collaborate with other institutions 

such as criminal justice coordinating committees to 

develop a research agenda that can better ensure 

that public safety resources are used wisely. 

Summary 

As we have said before, nothing discussed in 

the Toolkit is exceedingly diffi cult to develop or 

implement. The goal of evidence-based practices is 

to make sure that you don’t waste your time and 

money on programs that are ineffective. The result 

will not only help you identify programs that work 

but will also help you sell your reentry program. For 

further information on program evaluations, go to 

the Bureau of Justice Assistance Center for Program 

Evaluation at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/evaluation. 

Reference 

Council of State Governments. 2005. “Report of 

the Re-entry Policy Council: Charting the Safe and 

Successful Return of Prisoners to the Community.” 

www.reentrypolicy.org/reentry/THE_REPORT.aspx 

168 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
Measuring Success 169

Exhibit 8.1: Orlando, Florida, Inmate Re-Entry Program Review Score Sheet 
170 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry Exhibit 8.1 (Continued) 
Measuring Success 171

Exhibit 8.1 (Continued) 
 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 8.2: Memorandum of Understanding for Research 

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (“MOU”) BETWEEN 

_________DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION (“DOC”) AND __________ COLLEGE 

The Department of Correction (“DOC”) and _________ College have agreed to enter into this 

Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) in an effort to conduct research that will to increase 

the understanding of ________________. 

Research Design 

The researcher explains how the research will be carried out. 

Data Requested 

The researcher lists the type of data the DOC will provide. 

Use of Data 

1. Confidentiality and Disclosure 

A. All individually-identified information obtained, learned, developed or filed by 

______ College in connection with this study shall be held confidential by _____ College and 

shall not be disclosed by ________ to any person, organization, agency or other entity except as 

authorized or required by law. 

B. All of the reports, information or data, furnished to or prepared, assembled or 

used by ____________ College under the agreement are to be held confidential, and _______ 

College agrees that the same shall not be made available to any individual or organization 

without the prior written approval of the Correction Administrator or his designee. 

C. Beyond the final report, _______ College has the right to publish any additional 

materials related to the work performed under this MOU. ________ College must furnish DOC 

with a copy of any proposed publication or public disclosure, at least 60 days in advanced of the 

proposed publication data. No data or information that specifically identifies an inmate will be 

disclosed by ________ College. For the purposes of this agreement, “disclosure” includes the 

oral or written release, publishing or provision of access to information learned in the course of 

the study. 

D. __________ College shall at all times preserve the confidentiality and security of 

information learned during the course of the study. _________ College shall restrict the use and 

disclosure of information learned during the study to those person or entities (including agents 

and subcontractors) that have been hired, designated or assigned by _________ College to 

conduct the study. _________ College will disclose no data or information that specifically 

identifies an inmate. 

E. The provisions of this Article shall remain in full force and effect following the 

termination of, or cessation of the services required by this MOU. 

172 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 8.2 (Continued) 

2. Security of Data 

A. _________ College agrees to hold all information confidential and to keep all data 

received from DOC securely and to restrict access to the data. In particular, John Jay College 

will not store the data on a file server or in any other computational domain where it could be 

accessed by others. 

3. Acknowledgement 

A. ________ College will use the following citation in all published works: 

“Data utilized in this study were made available by the _____ Department of Correction; and 

have been used after obtaining any necessary permission. The analyses and interpretations 

expressed herein represent the opinions of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions 

of DOC or _____College.” 

B. ______ College agrees to indemnify and hold harmless DOC and the City ____ 

or County ______ against any and all claims whatsoever, including attorney fees, arising by 

____ College’s failure to comply with the confidentiality requirements of this MOU. 

4. Copyright 

________ College shall not make any claim to copyright ownership of materials provided by 

DOC and shall not provide copies of the materials to others nor make copies, except as necessary 

to carry out statistical research. 

5. Contact Person 

To facilitate successful administration of this study and MOU, each party will designate a 

principal representative who will act as the contact person for each party in regard to this study. 

The contact person for DOC is _________ . The contact person for John Jay College is 

_________. 

6. Termination 

Any party may terminate this MOU by giving written notice to the other parties. The provisions 

of this Article shall remain in full force and effect following the termination of, or cessation of 

the services required by this MOU. 

7. Modification 

This MOU sets forth the entire agreement between the parties, superseding all prior agreements 

and understandings, written or oral, and may not be altered or modified except by a writing 

signed by all parties. 

____________ Date 

Sheriff 

Department of Correction 

______________ Date 

College 

Measuring Success 173
Conclusion 

9

Source: Center for Employment Opportunities 
Conclusion
 

T

hanks for taking the time to read this Toolkit. We 

hope it has inspired you to rethink the benefi ts 

of incorporating jail reentry as a core component 

of your policies and procedures. For those who 

are new to reentry, the discussions and exhibits 

throughout the Toolkit and its companion report, 

Life After Lockup: Improving Reentry from Jail to the 

Community, will help you begin reentry strategies 

regardless of your jail size, location, or available 

resources. For those who currently provide reentry 

services, the Toolkit offers some new ideas about 

how to enhance what you’re doing. 

Don’t hesitate to get started or expand your reentry 

services even if you are worried that you don’t 

have all the key components in place. Nothing is 

perfect in the real world; all that we recommend 

is that you give it a try, understanding that it may 

take many months to work out all the kinks in the 

implementation of your strategy. 

By way of summary, the following are the essential 

ingredients to ensure reentry success: 

Leadership—Reentry begins at the top with 

leadership. Jail staff take their cues from you. You 

are their role model! Believing in reentry and being 

able to articulate the jail’s role in the reentry process 

is paramount for it to succeed. 

Staff—Even the best ideas fail if you don’t get 

buy-in. Staff need to be sold on the value of reentry, 

not only for inmates and the community, but also 

for how it benefi ts them. Let them know that their 

reentry ideas and suggestions matter. Figure out 

ways to acknowledge their efforts so they feel 

appreciated for taking on a responsibility that may 

not have been part of their original job description. 

We think you’ll fi nd that the majority of staff will 

be eager to assume a more proactive role when 

working with inmates. Over time, you’ll have a more 

energetic workforce. 

Tools—Valid and reliable assessment screens 

and reentry plans are the tools you need to identify 

inmates’ reentry needs. We dedicated two sections in 

the Toolkit to this subject to give you a sense of how 

important we feel developing and implementing the 

right tools is. 

Stakeholders—Reentry starts at intake but 

it ends in the community. In other words, the 

community cannot be separated from reentry 

because it is to the community where inmates 

return. Relationships have to be forged and 

supported over time. This may require breaking 

down historical barriers and developing honest 

communication with those who are willing to help. 

The jail is part of the community. The sooner we 

understand that, the quicker reentry can begin. 

Public Relations—Even the best ideas 

don’t sell themselves. Promoting your reentry 

accomplishments is paramount if you want 

community support. You have the ability to help 

change someone’s life for the better. That is exciting 

news and the community needs to hear it. 

177 
Inmates and Their Families—Let’s 

not forget the individuals incarcerated in your 

systems, because they are an important part of the 

reentry equation. Inmates and their families often 

have a distrust of services and government agencies 

because of the lackluster experiences they have 

had in the past. Over time, inmates will also buy 

in, because they’ll notice how the reentry culture 

permeates your jail. News also travels fast, and 

inmates will soon hear the success stories of their 

friends who were recently released. Families can and 

should be brought in as an essential resource to help 

support reentry pre- and postrelease. 

We know that the implementation of reentry 

strategies is daunting, but it is possible and will 

be good for the jail, inmates, and the broader 

community. The fi eld is moving in this direction, 

and jurisdiction after jurisdiction is fi nding that once 

its staff begins reentry programming, they become 

engaged and excited about helping inmates return to 

the community with resources to meet their needs. 

For those of you who have already begun 

implementing reentry strategies, you should start 

letting your colleagues know about the work you are 

doing. The most effective way to get other jails on 

board is for them to see how a similar facility was 

able to pull it off with the same staff size, resource 

base, and budgetary and time constraints. We hope 

that this becomes the new way of doing business 

and believe that improved public safety will follow. 

178 The Jail Administrator’s Toolkit for Reentry 
*NCJ~222041*