LA county succeeds in reducing recidivism rates by 17% using reentry program
A new study reveals that Los Angeles County’s Reentry Intensive Case program has reduced the number of people returning to incarceration by 17%, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. The study shows reentry programs contribute to the reduction of recidivism, concerning both the people re-entering society after prison and the community they enter.
The study conducted by Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, found the program reduced recidivism by 6% as compared to non-participants, which is higher than 53 comparative programs.
“The resources, dignity and community that reentry services provide are paramount to reducing recidivism rates, setting people up for success, and making our communities safer,” said Susan Burton, founder of A New Way Of Life.
The purpose of Burton’s group is to take a recently released person and help them through the gauntlet of the reentry process. People who graduate from Reentry Intensive Case Management Services (RCIMS) had fewer convictions, arrests, incarcerations and parole revocations, asserted the article.
The study used data from April 2018 to March 2021. It conducted surveys of staff managers in 2022 and interviews with program managers. As well as staff and participants between June 2019 and August 2022.
It found that participants reached out to mental health services more often, had fewer emergency room visits as well as reduced interaction with the criminal justice system, compared to non-participants.
Successful wraparound services like RICMS depend on a full range of community resources. LA County partners with 29 community based organizations whose goal is to make these resources available in helping rebuild full successful lives.
Although, there are some hurdles and logistics reentries face in transitioning back into the community. Among them rent, unexpected down payment requirements, job search, paper work and being disadvantaged, according to the Los Angeles Daily News
Then there are those who fall between the cracks and find themselves in areas with fewer resources and options available to them increasing their struggle for success.
“We don’t just provide shelter, it’s a holistic approach to the full person.” said Burton, whose organization celebrates its 25th anniversary.
This is why participants are matched up with healthcare workers who act as liaisons between county, state and federal services to ensure a comprehensive outcomes, reported the Tribune. They help the participants navigate the fragmented system of county services with their first hand lived experiences.
The program is effective because trust is gained. Specifically through the community’s use of formerly incarcerated workers who have found their way out of the cycle of recidivism.
The group matches workers with incarcerated females released from the county’s regional detention center in Lynwood. They too use formerly incarcerated people and community based workers, a key to its success, says the report.
“It’s our strong partnerships with community based organizations that makes the program possible,” said Vanessa Martin, director of reentry in LA County.
