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MASSACHUSETTS In Massachusetts the proportion of prisoners released under parole supervision has dropped significantly in the past decade. In 1994, 45 percent of prisoners were released on parole; by 2002 the parole rate dropped to 34 percent. In other words, 66 percent of returning offenders--often the most serious offenders--are now being released with no supervision; often times having opted out of parole themselves. To address these issues, Massachusetts has created an Executive Committee to examine the issues surrounding prisoner reentry. Specific projects include: - Securing Mass Health cards (state insurance) for offenders upon discharge;
- Linking with workforce development to enhance training opportunities in prison to increase the likelihood of securing meaningful work;
- Improving the community linkages for programs and interventions post release; and
- Launching regional reentry centers.
Community based linkages include partnering with both local police and social service providers. Massachusetts is also working to integrate the various reentry grants and projects under a single umbrella. The Department of Career Services, the Serious Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, the Regional Reentry Centers and the Department of Public Health plan for substance abuse will be individual projects linked by an overall cabinet level plan and commitment. Related Links: MASSACHUSETTS This document was prepared by members of Massachusetts' Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy team. It represents their current course of action, but should not be viewed as a final plan. Rather, this document is designed to highlight where Massachusetts is in an ongoing strategic planning process. Problem Statement:
The focus of the Massachusetts team is first to develop a comprehensive, state-wide strategy for prisoner reentry that includes strengthening programs and interventions while in custody, establishing a strong transition plan, establishing Regional Reentry Systems, transportation to the centers, making linkages with community providers and local law enforcement. Our unusual structural set up where the Houses of Correction (jails) that are operated by 14 elected sheriffs hold inmates (including felons) for up to 2.5 years makes the establishment of a true state wide standard a bit more challenging. We are committed to working initially with the state prison system and then over time integrating the individual sheriff departments into our plan. Sentencing structures over the years have created another challenge. Many offenders are "wrapping up" their sentences - or completing their incarceration without post prison supervision. The majority of those leaving prison fall into that category. Our plan for the Regional Reentry Centers and the SVORI grant aspires to bridge that gap in services and structure as much as possible. Our heavily unionized environment presents yet another challenge. The newly appointed Commissioner at the Department of Correction is engaging the union, however, some changes require skillful negotiation to secure buy in. We are improving the policy relationship and the transitions for offenders among all the state agencies that are providing services. Failure to implement a plan that all the state agencies (corrections, parole, public health, workforce development, mental health etc.) buy into will mean that offenders will continue to deal with a fragmented, confusing morass of agencies making their return to the community a bumpy process. We attempt to remove barriers at the state and local levels to ease the return to the community and increase opportunities for offender success. Goals:
First is the development of and commitment to the strategy by agency leaders across state government. The establishment of working groups for products - workforce development with links to employers, housing initiatives, regional reentry centers that act as community based reception areas and resource brokers, and the creation of smooth transitions to community based services. Specific projects at this point include: securing Mass Health cards (state insurance) for offenders upon discharge, linking with workforce development to enhance training opportunities in prison to increase the likelihood of securing meaningful work, and improving the community linkages for programs and interventions post release. These community based linkages include partnering with both local police and the myriad social service providers. Finally, we are working to integrate the various reentry grants and projects under a single umbrella. The Department of Career Services, the Serious Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, the Regional Reentry Centers and the Department of Public Health plan for substance abuse will be individual projects linked by an overall cabinet level plan and commitment. Role of the Governor:
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Lt. Governor Kerry Healey have cited prisoner reentry as an area of policy reform since their campaign in 2002. They have both used public speaking opportunities to speak about the importance of improved reentry services to public safety. The Governor proposed an extra million dollars in his budget this year for parole. After a decade of fiscal neglect the governor supports a more robust system for offender supervision. This increase in the Parole budget was one of only three public safety agencies where expansion money was proposed. The Governor's office is working on a number of legislative initiatives including mandatory post prison supervision, some form of sentencing guidelines, and expanded post-release supervision with interventions for certain sex offenders. The Lt. Governor has assumed the mantle for improved reentry services in a number of forms. The Lt. Governor chaired the Governor's Commission for Criminal Justice Innovations which had a subcommittee specifically charged with making legislative, policy and fiscal recommendations for reentry. The Commission issued its report in April 2004 and all state agencies, under the direction of the Lt. Governor have embraced the development of a coordinated approach to reentry in the Commonwealth. Every employee in the Commonwealth should be aware of the importance of prisoner reentry to the Governor's Office. Reentry efforts are important to Massachusetts for a variety of reasons. Successful reentry cuts costs - both real and economic costs. Sound transition plans that include programs and interventions help the offender perhaps begin a life as a contributing citizen - contributing to the workforce and the tax base. As transition planning inside the institutions are strengthened so too will the pull to lower levels of custody, affecting the overall costs associated with incarceration. Perhaps most importantly, successful reentry of offenders is important to public safety - for the reduction of recidivism and victimization. Interdisciplinary Efforts:
Our entire Reentry effort has been guided directly by the Lt. Governor. We have developed an Executive Committee convened by the Lt. Governor through the Secretary of Public Safety. The Executive Committee includes the Secretaries of Economic Development and Human Services and several Commissioners (direct reports to Secretaries) who oversee the agencies involved. Those agencies include: Corrections, Parole, Sex Offender Registry Board, Criminal History Systems Board, Health, Housing, Workforce, Welfare, and Youth Services. Local initiatives that we will be tying into our statewide strategy also include faith based mentors. Staff from these state agencies are working on several products or initiatives to support the broad premise. Led by the Parole Board staff, workers from health, mental health, welfare and corrections, the Regional Reentry Centers have been developed. This product has involved the dedication of a line item from the Department of Correction's budget for re-entry. This line item includes an interagency agreement between Corrections and Parole for the service delivery, shared policies around case presentation at the parole hearing, and the Parole Board assuming some transition responsibilities for those that leave prison at the conclusion of their sentences without supervision. Due to the support from the highest level, other agencies involved, particularly public health, have incorporated the philosophies of reentry into their own strategic planning efforts. Having identified unspent VOITIS money, we are in the process of converting funding plans for prison expansion into funding for re-entry programs, including residential beds to support our reentry and post prison supervision plans. Public safety will be enhanced through the coordination of services and information at the local level. As offenders return to communities, information presented to law enforcement not only eases the transition and provides police an opportunity to support offenders, but also removes the anonymity of the offender who has difficulty in the adjustment. The community based reentry centers will work closely with local law enforcement to reduce communication barriers and thus minimize opportunities for offenders' needs to fall through the cracks. The Regional Reentry Centers will be sharing all information at booking with the police agencies in communities where the offender will reside and brokering other resources for offenders based on criminogenic needs and risk. Through the NGA we have linked with La Bodega de la Familia and intend to engage Family Justice for a year-long strategy development project that will help us change come of our service delivery processes and procedures to better reflect the needs of the families of the offenders returning to the community. Recognizing the critical importance of family reunification for stabilization within the community, we are hopeful that harnessing the positive energy of the family will improve outcomes for all parties. The Division of Career Services has been working closely with the reentry coordinators in the state department of correction and with the staff of the parole board. The DCS has been reaching out to employers to discuss bonding opportunities and to help develop recruitment plans as well as to work with the corrections staff to ensure that current vocational training is consistent with identified future work opportunities. A milestone in our effort to reduce barriers to success has been an agreement with Mass Health to ensure that offenders can secure a health card upon discharge. This will help those who require stabilization with prescription drugs to remain stable. The Mass Health card will help with mental health issues, continued substance abuse treatment, and the care of chronic medical conditions once offenders have returned to the community. We are capturing the many and varied reentry efforts happening within the Commonwealth under the umbrella of the Governor's Executive Committee. This encourages all our state agencies to consider and coordinate the provision of services to the offender and returning offender population. This umbrella collects the key individuals needed for several advisory committees and allows efficiency and consistency in our program design, our message, and the delivery of services across the Commonwealth. July 2004
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