The Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities is committed to providing inmates opportunities for successful community re-entry. Re-Entry is the process of leaving jail and returning to society. The Department of Detention Facilities provides inmates with Re-Entry services and strategies which translate into public safety gains to include reduced recidivism and successful long-term reintegration of a formerly incarcerated individual.
Approach
The Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities has committed to providing as many services to inmates as possible. An individual’s incarceration starts with a “begin with the end in mind” approach to programmatic services. Sentenced inmates enter the Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities and within 7 days a case manager meets with him/her and completes an Individual Program Agreement. The IPA is a tool used to assess the psychosocial, medical, and public safety risks of inmates. IPA’s are contracts that outline an inmate’s progress and program expectations while incarcerated, as well as post release planning and referrals. Inmate’s who complete IPA requirements, receive reviews at regularly planned intervals at which time they can progress to additional programming as well as work details. These successes provide self esteem and build on one other. The inmates are allowed, with successful IPA completion, to participate in outside work details, work release, and house arrest. Outside resources are also allowed to present their services to inmates in weekly Support Groups and at the Re-Entry Resource Fairs. The professional relationships made at these events allow inmates a comfort level and connection to the people who provide services in the community.
As an inmate approaches their release date a case manager reviews the inmate’s post release requirements. If an individual has Probation, Court Ordered Restitution or Child Support obligations these requirements are reviewed at the Exit Conference. The case manager also uses the exit conference to make community referrals as well as identify potential stumbling blocks to a successful re-entry for the individual upon release. The document produced at this meeting is titled the Exit Conference Checklist. This exit plan with permission of the inmate is then provided to applicable post release service providers. These providers include Parole and Probation as well as drug rehabilitation programs.
During an inmate’s period of incarceration, he or she is told who, what, went and where things will happen. However, once released they are left to their own skills and disciplines to have a successful life.
The purpose of these programs, agreements, and work details is to assist individuals with developing proper life skills. These skills allow inmates to have an opportunity for a successful life without drugs and crime. The Anne Arundel County Department of Detention Facilities commitment to bridging the gap between jail programs and service providers in the community is a critical for successful Re-Entry.
Re-Entry is not a program, not a form of supervision and not an option.