KY Introduces Re-integration Program
A program was introduced Wednesday to give recently released prisoners and inmates returning to Shawnee options as they re-integrate into society. Reported by the Courier-Journal.
The Shawnee Justice Reinvestment Pilot Project, which was introduced by Mayor Jerry Abramson, will help offenders find housing, transportation and employment starting in late spring, according to a press release from the mayor’s office.
“Connecting ex-offenders with resources and support can help them make a meaningful fresh start,” Abramson said. “It also aids public safety by helping reduce behaviors that can lead to re-offending.”
Abramson was joined by Commissioner LaDonna Thompson of the Kentucky Department of Corrections and Metro Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton in introducing the program at the Catholic Enrichment Center, 3146 W. Broadway.
Program participants will be subjected to a screening process, but sex offenders or individuals who have committed crimes against children will not be allowed into the program. Participants also must have a valid Shawnee address to join.
The program is funded through federal grants from the Department of Justice under the Second Chance Act. Metro government partnered with the Kentucky Department of Corrections to acquire about $250,000 — $200,000 for the Shawnee program and $50,000 for Corrections re-entry programs.
“The Department of Corrections views our re-entry initiative as a new philosophy, not a new program,” Thompson said.
The program is modeled after a similar one that was launched in the fall of 2007, and it will include extensive cooperation and help from government agencies, faith-based organizations and volunteer groups.
Participants will be required to attend bi-monthly meetings with the Reinvestment Neighborhood Group along with family members and friends to discuss progress or concerns.
“The Shawnee project is based on a model that encourages everyone in the community to get involved in the problem-solving process, working together to promote safety, reduce recidivism and strengthen our families,” program coordinator Debora McGill said.
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