alachua county sheriff’s office inmate transition...

Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Transition Program

April 2013

Authored by:

Barbara Pierce Parker Brandon Miles Melissa Haynes

of the Crime and Justice Institute

at Community Resources for Justice

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This report was developed under contract award # 2010-RR-BX-K073from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Points of view in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Bureau of Justice Assistance. ©2013 by the Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice. The Bureau of Justice Assistance reserves the right to reproduce, publish, translate, or otherwise use and to authorize others to publish and use all or any part of the copyrighted material contained in this publication. Suggested Citation: Pierce Parker, B.; Miles, B.; & Haynes, M. (2013). Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Transition Program Model. Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice: Boston, MA.

Acknowledgments The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Transition Program is the culmination of the work and support of many individuals. We want to acknowledge their contributions to the County’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative and specifically to the development and implementation of this innovative, research-based program. Alachua County Justice Reinvestment Leadership Sheriff Sadie Darnell, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Colonel David Huckstep, Chief Deputy, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Major Charles Lee, Jail Director, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Jail Tom Tonkavich, Director, Alachua County Court Services Justice Reinvestment at the Local Level Work Group Kelly Amerson, Grants & Legislative Administrator, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Kristen Benedini, Programs Manager, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Jail Donna Bradbrook, Strategic Performance Manager, Alachua County Gerie Crawford, Pretrial Services Manager, Alachua County Court Services Bobby Davis, Alachua County Health Department Judge Denise Ferrero, Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida Katie Fields, SWAG Family Resource Center Manager, Partnership for Strong Families Teresa Hamm, Jail Release Coordinator, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Jail Sam Harwell, Alachua County School Board Andrew Kramer, Eighth Judicial Circuit of Florida Fotina Perry, Classification Supervisor, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Jail Joe Winkler, Circuit Administrator, Florida Department of Corrections Jail Staff JoAnn Wofford, Secretary to Director Charles Lee, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Jail Sergeant Carl W. Johns, Kitchen Security Supervisor, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Jail Bureau of Justice Assistance Ruby Qazilbash, Associate Deputy Director, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs Gary L. Dennis, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor for Corrections, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs Crime and Justice Institute at CRJ Staff Zach Dal Pra, Managing Associate Kristy Danford, Associate

Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ...............................................................................................................1

Justice Reinvestment at the Local Level ..................................................................................1

Inmate Transition Program .....................................................................................................3

Chapter 2: Target Population, Eligibility Criteria and the Referral Process ...................................6

Target Population and Eligibility Criteria .................................................................................6

Referral Process ......................................................................................................................7

Chapter 3: Admission, Assessment and Transition Planning ........................................................9

Admission ...............................................................................................................................9

Assessment .............................................................................................................................9

Risk and Needs Assessment .................................................................................................9

Inventory of Basic Needs ....................................................................................................11

Transition Planning ...............................................................................................................12

Chapter 4: Case Management and Targeted Programming .......................................................17

Case Management ................................................................................................................17

Jail-Based Programming ........................................................................................................18

Reasoning and Rehabilitation 2 ..........................................................................................19

Treating All Dependencies: A Coping Skills Training Guide..................................................19

Employability Skills .............................................................................................................19

GED ....................................................................................................................................20

Chapter 5: Community Linkages ................................................................................................22

Core Service Partners ............................................................................................................22

Resource Centers ...............................................................................................................22

FloridaWorks ......................................................................................................................22

Meridian Behavioral Health Care........................................................................................22

Referrals to Core Partners ..................................................................................................23

State Probation .....................................................................................................................23

Other Community Resources ................................................................................................25

Chapter 6: Program Discharge and Release to the Community ..................................................26

Program Discharge................................................................................................................26

Release .................................................................................................................................26

Chapter 7: Performance Measures ............................................................................................29

Measures ..............................................................................................................................29

Data Collection and Reporting ..............................................................................................30

Appendices ...............................................................................................................................31

Appendix A: Acknowledgment of Rules and Expectations .....................................................32

Appendix B: Release of Information Form .............................................................................34

Appendix C: Self Reflection and Goals Sheet .........................................................................35

Appendix D: Case Management Cover Sheet ........................................................................37

Appendix E: Data Collection Form .........................................................................................38

Table of Figures

Figure 1: Transition Program Diagram .........................................................................................5

Figure 2: Basic Needs Inventory ................................................................................................12

Figure 3: Transition Plan ............................................................................................................14

Figure 4: Case Management Session Structure ..........................................................................18

Figure 5: ACSO Department of Jail Employability Skills Class Outline .........................................21

Figure 6: Community Resource Referral Form ...........................................................................24

Figure 7: Sample Resource List ..................................................................................................25

Figure 8: Inmate Post-Release Tracking Sheet ...........................................................................27

Figure 9: Provider Post-Release Follow-Up ................................................................................28

Figure 10: Performance Measure Definitions ............................................................................29

Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice 1

Chapter 1: Introduction The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Transition Program is a jail reentry program model designed to address a key driver of the jail population – high rates of returns to jail amongst inmates with prior jail stays -- through the adoption and application of evidence based approaches. County data shows that 61 percent of male inmates with one prior booking who were released in 2007 and 2008 returned to the Alachua County Jail. That figure rises to 69 percent for those with two or more prior bookings. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office has adopted a set of practices as part of its pilot program aimed at reducing the high return rates. These practices include: assessment, transition planning, case management, targeted programming, linkages to community programs and services, and data collection and performance measurement. This pilot program is part of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative.

JUSTICE REINVESTMENT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL In May 2009, the Urban Institute (UI) began working with Alachua County through funding provided by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. UI worked with county stakeholders for two years to study the drivers of the jail population and to put forth a set of recommended strategies to address population size and reduce jail costs. During this time, UI identified the processing of the pretrial population, sentence lengths of the sentenced population, and special populations (e.g., chronic homelessness and the mentally ill) as three important drivers of the jail population. In an initial data report, UI suggested that the County consider the increased use of diversions for eligible detainees (e.g., Notices to Appear) and reductions in

About Alachua County

Alachua County is located in north central Florida and is comprised of 9 cities and towns, with Gainesville as the county seat. The US Census (2010) indicates that the county’s population is close to 250,000. Approximately 70% of the population is white and 20% is black. More than 9 of every 10 Alachua County residents aged 25 and older have graduated high school, and 41% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. These figures are considerably higher than Florida as a whole.

The home ownership rate in Alachua County from 2007 to 2011 was 55%, lower than the Florida average (69%), with the median value of owner-occupied housing units for the same period being $185,100. The median household income in Alachua County ($40,644) is $7,000 lower than the statewide average. The percent of persons below the poverty level from 2007 to 2011 in Alachua County (24%) is about 9 percentage points higher than the state of Florida as a whole.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reports that in 2011, there were 17,449 adult arrests in the county. In the 10 years from 2001 to 2011, there was a 35% increase in the murder rate, but decreases in the rates of forcible sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assaults, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. Overall, Alachua County had a higher crime rate (4250 per 100,000) than the state of Florida (4070 per 100,000) in 2011.


case processing times. In addition, an apparent rise in length of stay for sentenced felony and misdemeanor cases prompted UI to suggest the use and expansion of alternatives to incarceration as a way to reduce jail bed days and connect detainees with appropriate services in the community. Furthermore, to combat the issue of homelessness and undiagnosed and untreated mental illness among detainees, UI suggested that agency collaboration be strengthened, screening and assessment tools be implemented, and a pathway for successful reentry into the community be established1

. While these suggestions initially emerged, county stakeholders, with input from the Urban Institute, put forth three main strategies in its Phase II application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance: (1) Prevent – make a capital investment in a zone within the city of Gainesville with a high crime and incarceration rate, to prevent residents from entering the jail or returning to jail upon release; (2) Prioritize – expedite the disposition of un-sentenced populations in jail through the use of a jail release coordinator to prioritize jail space for those who pose the greatest risk to public safety; and (3) Prepare – expand in-house jail programs to prepare exiting inmates for successful reentry in their communities.

In July 2011, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) engaged the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) at Community Resources for Justice to provide technical assistance, through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, on the implementation of the strategies developed by Alachua County stakeholders and the Urban Institute. BJA chose not to provide targeted assistance for the County stakeholders’ proposed prevention strategy, but did fund a jail release coordinator position for the Alachua County Jail for a period of two years. More information about this position can be found at www.crj.org/cji/entry/project_justicereinvest. The remainder of this document details Alachua County’s third proposed strategy – preparing inmates for reentry through jail programs. Initially, the County requested funding to increase its jail programming, specifically, GED and vocational programs. This request was not immediately approved. Rather, the Crime and Justice Institute conducted an assessment of the programs offered within the jail to determine alignment with (1) County stakeholders’ goal of reducing returns to jail and (2) the crime-producing (or criminogenic) needs of correctional populations. The program assessment determined that the program offerings within the jail were not designed or delivered in ways that research has shown works to change offender behavior and that the programs available were not addressing the major crime producing factors and characteristics prevalent in offender populations.

1 The Urban Institute. (2009, November). Findings from initial data review: Alachua county jail population reduction initiative. Memorandum for Alachua County stakeholders.

http://www.crj.org/cji/entry/project_justicereinvest�


The Crime and Justice Institute worked to build capacity among key jail staff and other stakeholders and together proposed a comprehensive pilot program. The pilot program: Is in keeping with the original goal of the County stakeholders to enhance programs with

the intent of preventing returns to jail; Is a response to data showing that 6 to 7 of every 10 inmates with prior bookings return

to jail; Is built upon a foundation of what the research has shown to work with offenders and

on the experience of other jurisdictions (e.g., Transition from Jail to Community sites); and,

Complements other Justice Reinvestment strategies in the County.

INMATE TRANSITION PROGRAM As described above, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Transition Program was developed through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. The development was guided by the Crime and Justice Institute and the Alachua County Justice Reinvestment at the Local Level (JRLL) Work Group. The program targets two groups of sentenced male inmates who are at moderate to high risk of reoffending – those with prior bookings and those who have been terminated from work release due to rule violations. The Inmate Transition Program is overseen by the Director of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Jail and led by the Jail’s Classification Supervisor and Programs Manager. The program is staffed by Corrections Officers who supervise the program’s housing unit, and Correctional Case Workers who assist with program referrals and assess and case manage

Justice Reinvestment

Justice reinvestment is a systemwide process designed for local leaders who want to rethink how

they allocate resources throughout their criminal justice and social service systems. It is for city and

county officials who are aiming not just to contain criminal justice costs, but also to achieve a

greater public safety impact from current resources. Importantly, justice reinvestment is not a single

decision, project, or strategy. Rather, it is a multistaged and ongoing process whereby local

stakeholders collaborate across city and county systems to identify drivers of criminal justice costs

and then develop and implement new ways of reinvesting scarce resources – both in the community

and within the jail system – in a manner that yields a more cost beneficial impact on public safety.

La Vigne, N., Neusteter, S.R., Lachman, P., Dwyer, A., & Nadeau, C.A. (2010). Justice reinvestment at the local level planning and implementation guide. Document. Retrieved from http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=412233

http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=412233�


program participants. These same staff members, along with select community volunteers, facilitate the jail’s programs. The program has a dedicated housing unit with 40 beds and its own program space. The Inmate Transition Program is comprehensive and includes the following components: Referrals based on set eligibility criteria, to include screening for risk of future re-

offending; A full assessment of crime producing characteristics and factors; An inventory of basic needs; Ongoing transition planning and case management; Group interventions proven to impact offender behavior change; and, Linkages to community resources through in-reach and referrals to services that assist

with successful reentry. The graphic on the following page provides an overview of the transition program.


Figure 1: Transition Program Diagram


Chapter 2: Target Population, Eligibility Criteria and the Referral Process Clearly defining a target population is essential for any pilot program. It assists in program startup by identifying who should be selected for participation, and is crucial to determining for whom a program works or does not work. The Inmate Transition Program target population and eligibility criteria are explained below, followed by an explanation as to how an inmate comes to participate in the program.

TARGET POPULATION AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA The Inmate Transition Program has two target populations of male offenders:

1. Sentenced inmates with two or more prior jail stays 2. Inmates who have been returned to the jail from work release because of a rule

violation.

The box below shows the program eligibility criteria for each of the target populations.

The reason for the focus on sentenced inmates is that it is difficult to predict how long an un-sentenced inmate may be in the jail. Selecting sentenced inmates with a sufficient amount of time left to serve in the jail provides the opportunity for participants to complete program interventions. Males with prior jail stays were chosen based on data showing high jail return rates for this population.

Target Populations and Eligibility Criteria Population 1: Sentenced Inmates with Prior Jail Bookings Sentenced 60 days or more left to serve in the jail Male 2 or more previous jail stays Agree to participate Score high risk on the Ohio Risk Assessment System Community Supervision

Screening Tool

Population 2: Work Release Returnees Sentenced Returned from work release due to a violation of program rules 40 days or more left to serve Male Agree to participate Score high risk on the Ohio Risk Assessment System Community Supervision

Screening Tool


Five program slots are reserved for inmates who have failed while participating in the work release program, operated by Alachua County Court Services, and been placed back in the custody of the jail. A review by Court Services of a small sample of work release participants who have violated rules revealed that the reasons for program failure were the crime producing factors that the Inmate Transition Program seeks to address. For this reason, Court Services and the Jail agreed that the transition program would benefit those work release returnees and that there is a benefit to piloting a collaborative transition process.

REFERRAL PROCESS The Jail’s Classification Unit has developed an automated list of sentenced inmates who meet the eligibility criteria that can be extracted from the Jail Management System (JMS). This and notification of work release returnees are the usual ways that potential inmate participants are identified. As the pilot progresses, it is anticipated that referrals will also come from a number of other sources, including: Booking Classification Security Programs staff Attorneys Court Inmate self-referral Inmate family members Court Services Community-based providers


The Ohio Risk Assessment System – Community

Supervision Screening Tool The ORAS-CSST was developed by the Center for Criminal Justice Research at the University of Cincinnati to allow corrections entities to quickly assess an individual’s likelihood or risk to reoffend. The ORAS-CSST consists of four questions and each answer is assigned a corresponding numeric value of zero, one or two. These values are then added together to get a total score that ranges from zero to seven to differentiate low and high risk offenders.

As inmates are identified, transition program staff administer a risk screening tool to determine the individual’s risk to reoffend. In keeping with the research that indicates that it is the moderate to high risk offenders who benefit from the type of intervention offered by the transition program, both target populations are screened to determine their risk level. The Inmate Transition Program adopted the Ohio Risk Assessment System - Community Supervision Screening Tool (ORAS-CSST) as its screening instrument. Those who score low risk to reoffend on the ORAS-CSST are not eligible to participate in the pilot program. In addition to the risk screening, program staff verify that inmates are interested in participating in the program and will also be returning to Alachua County upon release. When all eligibility criteria are met, the inmate is discussed at a Classification conferencing meeting. When the program is at full capacity, cases are prioritized based on proximity to release.


Chapter 3: Admission, Assessment and Transition Planning Once enrolled in the program, assessments and plans are completed with each participant. These documents provide the foundation for what occurs during and after the program. This chapter describes what happens at admission, the assessment tools used, and the initial transition plan that is completed.

ADMISSION Once an inmate is accepted into the program, he is moved into a dedicated housing unit. The housing unit, or pod, has 40 beds. The plan for the pilot is to maintain between 20 and 25 active slots, including five set aside for the work release returnees who are admitted to the program. The remaining slots may be used to house inmates who complete the program and are within a month or two of release. There are two other steps to the admission process. Inmates must sign two forms; one is an acknowledgement of rules and expectations and the other is a release of information. In addition, the inmate is provided an orientation to the program. The acknowledgement of program rules and expectations includes an explanation of reasons why an inmate may be removed from the program as well as an overview of the program’s structure. The acknowledgment form is shown in Appendix A. Participants are also required to sign a release of information form (see Appendix B). This allows the transition program to share information with state and county probation and with community-based providers to whom referrals are made. The release of information also allows transition program staff to gather program-related information from its community partners. Lastly is the program orientation. During orientation the following information is reviewed: The goals of the program; Reasons a participant may be removed from the program; and, How gain time is earned.

ASSESSMENT The Inmate Transition Program utilizes two assessments. One is an actuarial risk and needs assessment tool used to determine an offender’s likelihood of future arrest. The other is an inventory that identifies basic needs an offender may have upon release. Both are described here.

Risk and Needs Assessment Across the field of corrections, risk assessment has become a widely established practice strongly supported by research. Classifying offenders based on their risk of reoffending is the foundation for supervision and treatment decisions. Higher risk offenders have better


outcomes with more intensive programming, while low risk offenders should receive little to no programming or intervention. Tailoring correctional interventions to the offender’s risk level and their needs has been proven to produce positive public safety outcomes.2 These practices also contribute to the maximization of limited resources by targeting higher risk offenders with whom interventions can have the greatest impact, while limiting intervention with those least likely to reoffend.3

Many research studies have confirmed that validated risk and needs assessment instruments accurately distinguish between low, medium, and high risk offenders, and the risk levels correspond with subsequent recidivism rates.4

In addition to risk level, these tools also identify an individual’s crime-producing characteristics (or criminogenic needs). The “Big Four” factors most strongly associated with future general and violent offending are criminal history, and antisocial associates, attitudes, and personality. The latter three are dynamic factors, meaning they are changeable. It is essential that these three factors serve as the primary target of rehabilitative service.5

To objectively assess the probability of recidivism, identify needs, and integrate a case planning system that reduces the risk of re-offending, agencies utilize risk and needs assessment tools.

Ohio Risk Assessment System – Community Supervision Tool The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Transition Program adopted the ORAS Community Supervision Tool (CST) as its risk and needs assessment. This tool consists of 35 items across seven domains:

1) Criminal History; 2) Education, Employment, and Financial Situation; 3) Family and Social Support; 4) Neighborhood Problems; 5) Substance Use; 6) Peer Associations; and 7) Criminal Attitudes and Behavioral Patterns.

The Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS) was developed by researchers at the University of Cincinnati and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation. An overall score from all the domains is used to calculate the risk level (very high, high, medium, or low) of an individual. The level of

2 Lowenkamp & Latessa. (2004). Understanding the risk principle: How and why correctional interventions can harm low-risk offenders. Topics in Community Corrections. 3 The Pew Center on the States. (2011). Risk/needs assessment 101: Science reveals new tools to manage offenders. Public Safety Performance Project, Issue Brief. 4 ibid. 5 Flores, Russell, Latessa, & Travis. (2005). Evidence of professionalism or quackery: Measuring practitioner awareness of risk/need factors and effective treatment strategies. Federal Probation.


need is identified separately in each domain (high, medium, or low).6 The risk level and corresponding level of needs can inform decisions about the best course of action in a reentry program.7

The levels of need are used in the Inmate Transition Program to determine which jail-based programming an inmate is assigned to and what types of community-based referrals are prioritized.

Inventory of Basic Needs In addition to assessing risk and need levels and matching interventions accordingly, research also indicates that correctional programs are more effective when they are delivered in a way that accounts for learning style and barriers to learning an individual might experience. This concept is known as “responsivity”. The targeted programming, discussed in Chapter 4, is generally responsive to offender populations because it is based on cognitive behavioral and social learning techniques. The Basic Needs Inventory shown in Figure 2 is how the Inmate Transition Program seeks to address barriers to success. It is meant to identify and plan for meeting needs upon release and also helps program staff determine which community resources and organizations would benefit an individual inmate, so that appropriate referrals can be made.

6 University of Cincinnati. (2011). Ohio Risk Assessment System. 7 The Pew Center on the States. (2011). Risk/needs assessment 101: Science reveals new tools to manage offenders. Public Safety Performance Project, Issue Brief.


Figure 2: Basic Needs Inventory

TRANSITION PLANNING Transition planning, also called release planning, is intended to help make the move back into the community as positive as possible by developing specific actions and/or strategies designed to address individual needs. Transition plans target issues such as housing, employment, family


reunification, educational needs, substance abuse treatment, and health and mental health services.8

These are important needs that help ensure a successful transition back to the community and long-term success.

A study by the Urban Institute revealed that a majority of state departments of correction perform a variety of release planning tasks.9

It is not known how much release planning occurs in local jails. Given the characteristics of jail stays – including short stays, high rates of inmate turnover, and the large proportion of jail populations that are pretrial status – it is estimated to be relatively uncommon.

Transition plans should be based on the results of a validated assessment of risk and needs. Key components of transition plans include an in-custody section, a discharge section, and a post-release section. The in-custody section of transition plans are pre-release interventions delivered while an individual is still in jail. The discharge plan section addresses the first days after release from jail, including basic needs. The post-release section specifies interventions for covering the mid- to long-term transition period upon return to the community.10

The Alachua County Inmate Transition Program utilizes a transition plan as shown in Figure 3 below. Participants also complete a Self Reflection and Goals Sheet (see Appendix C). The transition plan, goal sheet and Basic Needs Inventory guide what is discussed during case management sessions, the programs in which inmates are enrolled, and the community-based agencies to which an inmate is referred.

8 National Institute of Correction & Urban Institute. (2011). Transition from Jail to Community Implementation Toolkit: Module 7, Transition Plan Development. Retrieved from http://www.urban.org/projects/tjc/toolkit/ 9 La Vigne, N., Davies, E., Palmer, T., & Halberstadt, R. (2008). Release planning for successful reentry: A guide for corrections, service providers, and community groups. Research Report. 10 National Institute of Correction & Urban Institute. (2011). Transition from Jail to Community Implementation Toolkit: Module 7, Transition Plan Development. Retrieved from http://www.urban.org/projects/tjc/toolkit/


Figure 3: Transition Plan


Chapter 4: Case Management and Targeted Programming The core activities within the Inmate Transition Program are case management meetings and targeted group interventions. Case management sessions are held weekly and focus not only on progress in the program, but also on changing behavior. The transition program offers three core group interventions as well as GED instruction.

CASE MANAGEMENT Although the scope of case management is broad and often associated with probation and parole services, case management within the jail setting is a crucial step in prompting positive change in an offender and in readying the individual for release. In case management, one or more case managers are generally tasked with administering services that include conducting assessments, developing comprehensive case or transitional plans, facilitating therapeutic discussion, and collaborating with state and community-based agencies to ensure the continuation of services after release11

. When implemented effectively, case managers are able to provide an offender with a continuum of services that begin while incarcerated and continue after release.

Case management for the Alachua County program consists of weekly one-on-one meetings, and tracking key case events and progress. The form used to track key case events is shown in Appendix D. The weekly case management meeting with an offender is an opportunity to discuss progress made in the program and with the transition plan. The transition plan is a living document that is adjusted as needed based on progress, changes in circumstance within the jail, or changes anticipated upon release. Most importantly, case management in the transition program is a time during which behaviors are addressed. Program staff have been trained in cognitive behavioral techniques to change offender thinking, teach new skills, and respond to behaviors observed in the program. The structure of Inmate Transition Program case management sessions is shown below.

11 Warwick, K., Dodd, H., & Neusteter, S.R. (2012). Case management strategies for successful jail reentry. Transition from jail to community initiative practice brief.


Figure 4: Case Management Session Structure

Opening Check in with the client and ensure there are no immediate needs to be addressed Check in on progress with referrals Review any homework assigned last session with feedback

Content Teach the client a CBT-based intervention that compliments other treatment Ensure the client practices use of the skill Review the Transition Plan, when necessary, focusing on the appropriate needs

Closing Assist the client with making transition referrals Assign homework related to the skill that was taught

Lovins, L. (2013, January). Cognitive behavioral interventions for case management [PowerPoint presentation].

JAIL-BASED PROGRAMMING The transition program has a core set of group interventions aimed at addressing criminogenic needs. These are Reasoning and Rehabilitation 2 (R&R 2), Treating All Dependencies (TAD), Employability Skills, and GED instruction. The table below shows who participates in which programs.

Required for… Group Criminogenic Needs Addressed Participants whose primary needs include antisocial behavior, cognition, and/or peers

R&R 2 Antisocial behavior Antisocial cognition Antisocial peers

Participants whose primary needs include substance abuse and antisocial behavior, cognition, and/or peers

TAD

Substance abuse Antisocial behavior Antisocial cognition Antisocial peers

All participants Employability Skills

Low levels of achievement in and satisfaction with employment Antisocial personality

Participants with no GED or high school diploma GED

Low levels of achievement in and satisfaction with education Antisocial personality

With the exception of GED, groups are facilitated by transition program staff, including caseworkers, who have received training on the specific interventions. Groups are held in a physical space dedicated to the transition program. The classroom has office space for the Programs Manager, group space and an elevated space with tables and computers for self-directed study. The only instruction that does not take place in this dedicated space is GED.


Participants attend GED classes in another area of the jail and with non-transition program participants.

Reasoning and Rehabilitation 2 R&R 2 is a co-facilitated closed group (i.e., all participants begin on the same date) consisting of

14 sessions. The topics addressed include: skilled thinking, feeling and behaving; managing thoughts and feelings, recognizing thoughts and feelings of others and self; effective listening and empathy; solution-focused problem solving; consequential thinking; evaluating thoughts of others and own thoughts; making wise choices; negotiation and desisting.12 This cognitive behavioral intervention is the short version of Reasoning and Rehabilitation which is based on three decades of research and more than 100 studies with offender populations.13

Treating All Dependencies: A Coping Skills Training Guide

TAD is a 12-session group delivered in an open-ended format. This means that participants can begin group sessions at any point in

the curriculum; they do not have to all begin on the same day and start with session 1. The theoretical underpinnings of TAD are grounded in addiction research on cue exposure treatment, social learning, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. The intervention aims to modify behavior through teaching coping skills such as refusal skills, developing social support networks, resolving relationship issues, anger management, managing urges and problem solving.14

Employability Skills

Transition Program staff adapted an offender employment curriculum used by the Court Support Services Division (CSSD) of the State of Connecticut’s Judicial Branch with offenders under community supervision. CSSD’s 9-session How to be an Effective Employee curriculum was developed by Court Planner II Brian DeLude. The Alachua County Inmate Transition Program made small modifications to the DeLude curriculum such as shortening lists of pointers for dealing with certain employment scenarios,

12 Ross, R.R., Hilborn, J.R., & Liddle, P. (2006). Reasoning and rehabilitation 2: Short version for adults- A handbook for teaching prosocial competence. Training Manual. 13 Ross, Robert R. (2005). The Reasoning and Rehabilitation Program: An overview. Ottawa, Canada: Centre for Cognitive Development. 14 Monti, P.M., Kadden, R.M., Rohsenow, D.J., Cooney, N.L., & Abrams, D.B. (2002). Treating Alcohol Dependence: A coping skills training guide (2nd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.


reducing the number of steps for using specific skills, and adding activities and role plays to keep participants more engaged. The Inmate Transition Program calls its program Employability Skills. It is required for all program participants and its ten sessions are delivered twice per week. The outline for the group is shown in Figure 5.

GED Program participants who, upon admission, do not have their high school diploma or GED are required to participate in GED instruction. The only exception to this is if the participant is academically or cognitively not ready or able to participate in GED classes. GED is taught by the Jail’s GED instructor rather than program staff.


Figure 5: ACSO Department of Jail Employability Skills Class Outline

Session 1: Introduction to Employment Soft Skills & Communication Skills • Communication overview • Active listening • Verbal and non-verbal communication

Session 2: Communication Skills (continued)

• Communicating proactively • Honesty

Session 3: Handling Conflict & Solving Problems at Work

• Accepting criticism • Managing conflict with co-workers • Anger management-dealing with your anger and the anger of others • Damage control after conflict

Session 4: Teamwork

• Importance of teamwork • Self-confidence • Personal strengths and weaknesses • Maintaining a positive attitude

Session 5: Employer Expectations • Dependability • Accountability • Appearance • What upsets employers most

Session 6: Personal Growth

• Climbing the ladder within a company • Budgeting exercise • Interest inventory

Session 7: Job Search

• Interest inventory results are reviewed • Networking • Job search strategy-cold calls

Session 8: Job Search-Filling out applications

• Importance of the application • Addressing criminal history on an application • Tips for filling out applications

Session 9: Resume Writing

• Importance of the resume • Review three types of resumes • Resume writing tips

Session 10: Interview Skills

• Interview tips: common questions, importance of appearance


Chapter 5: Community Linkages For the pilot phase of the Inmate Transition Program, program staff have identified a core set of community partners. The partners conduct in-reach, are committed to receive referrals for program participants and to share information, and/or provide follow up data to the program. In addition to the core partners, other resources have been identified and partnerships formed.

CORE SERVICE PARTNERS The four core service partners are described as follows.

Resource Centers Two Gainesville resource centers provide assistance to participants returning to the community: The SWAG Family Resource Center serves individuals who live in southwest Gainesville

upon release who have issues with basic needs or who have not obtained a GED. Services offered include: a clothing closet with free clothes available, hygiene products, tutoring services for children, GED classes, bread/pastry give-away, free notary services, and a library bookmobile. Also, Florida Works, Meridian, and other agencies visit the center frequently to provide information on their respective services.

The Library Partnership Resource Center is a source of assistance for individuals who are struggling to obtain employment and who have issues with basic needs. Services offered

include: one-on-one resume and job application assistance, financial literacy and money management workshops, a clothing closet, hygiene products, phone assistance, and help with applying for food stamps and other state benefits.

FloridaWorks This agency is appropriate for individuals who wish to obtain employment or explore career options. Services offered include job search assistance, resume assistance, and educational opportunity exploration. There

are numerous other FloridaWorks programs. The transition program has a contact at FloridaWorks who is available to recommend appropriate services to the transition program’s participants.

Meridian Behavioral Health Care Meridian’s Forensic Diversion Program primarily serves individuals with significant mental health issues or substance abuse issues. This program is available to help transition program participants with medication management and group or individual counseling services. Each


individual who participates in this program is assigned a case manager. If the participant needs housing and transportation, and stays with the forensic diversion program for a couple of weeks, he can receive temporary housing and bus passes.

Referrals to Core Partners While still in the jail, program participants are referred to community partners as needed. Referrals to the four core partners are completed through a referral form shown in Figure 6. Copies of the form are sent to the provider and given to the inmate. These referrals are tracked to determine the extent to which program participants keep their initial appointments.

STATE PROBATION State Probation, operated by the Department of Corrections, is a key criminal justice partner. State Probation sends officers into the Inmate Transition Program every two months to speak with participants. The officers provide information on what is expected on probation and tips on how to successfully transition back into the community. Also, case managers share information with the Circuit Administrator for State Probation in the Gainesville Circuit Office. This information includes the expected release date, likely home address upon release, and how the participant performed in the transition program. The Circuit Administrator, in turn, provides the information to the relevant probation officer when the inmate is released and the officer has been assigned.


Figure 6: Community Resource Referral Form


OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES Staff have developed and continue to cultivate other pre-and post-release resources and document these resources for use by case workers and program participants. An example is shown in Figure 7 below.

Figure 7: Sample Resource List


Chapter 6: Program Discharge and Release to the Community

PROGRAM DISCHARGE When an inmate completes the interventions to which he was referred (i.e., R&R 2, TAD and/or Employability Skills), he is discharged from the program. If the participant is within a few months of his release date, he will continue to live in the transition pod until release or may participate in the trustee or work release program. Ten to 15 beds have been reserved for this population of graduates. The discharged participant is able to continue with GED classes and testing and receives monthly case management up until his release.

There are participants who do not complete the program. Some are released prior to completion; others may violate program rules and be discharged. Still others may refuse participation or drop out. Those who do not complete the program and who are not being released are returned to general housing within the jail immediately.

RELEASE After a program participant is released from the jail, the staff of the Inmate Transition Program provides information to those community partners with whom the Department of Jail has information-sharing agreements. The staff also engages in two types of follow-up data collection – with inmates and with partners.

As shown in Figure 8, staff attempt to contact released participants one month after release. The information is recorded on a 1-month tracking sheet and includes questions about living arrangements, employment, and accessing services. The same follow up is attempted three months post-release.

Figure 9 shows what information is collected at the 1-month mark from the core partners. The data collected tracks whether the participant followed through with the referrals and on what dates.


Figure 8: Inmate Post-Release Tracking Sheet


Figure 9: Provider Post-Release Follow-Up


Chapter 7: Performance Measures Performance measurement is crucial not only to a pilot program, but for all programs. Monitoring performance allows the Inmate Transition Program to: Identify what is working and what is not working; Track the extent to which the program is aligned with its design; Make mid-course corrections; Communicate the program’s intent and core components; and Promote the program and prove its value.

MEASURES The inmate transition program has a core set of measures it uses to assess performance. These measures were developed by a subset of the JRLL Work Group, with the goal of monitoring program performance and participant outcomes. The table below shows the selected measures, their definitions, and how often the measures are reported and reviewed.

Figure 10: Performance Measure Definitions

Performance Measure Definition Frequency of

Review

Timeliness of assessment

Average number of business days from program admission to completion of the full risk assessment and basic needs inventory

Quarterly by: Sheriff Jail Director JRLL Workgroup Program staff

Group completion rate

1) Percentage of transition program participants enrolled in Reasoning and Rehabilitation 2 who complete all the group sessions

2) Percentage of transition program participants enrolled in Treating All Dependencies who complete all the group sessions

3) Percentage of transition program participants enrolled in Employability Skills who complete all the group sessions

Transition Program completion rate

Percentage of transition program participants who complete all program requirements

Follow up appointment rate

Percentage of transition program participants who show for their first appointments with the program’s provider partners

Recidivism rate Percentage of inmates who complete the transition program and return to jail within 1 year of release

Annually by: Sheriff Jail Director JRLL Workgroup Program staff


DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING The transition program tracks key data elements to monitor program activity, measure program performance, and make adjustments to the pilot, as needed. A copy of the data collection form is shown in Appendix E. In addition to the measures and reporting schedule listed above, transition program staff report program counts, including referrals, screenings, admissions and discharges on a quarterly basis.


Appendices


APPENDIX A: ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RULES AND EXPECTATIONS


APPENDIX B: RELEASE OF INFORMATION FORM


APPENDIX C: SELF REFLECTION AND GOALS SHEET


APPENDIX D: CASE MANAGEMENT COVER SHEET


APPENDIX E: DATA COLLECTION FORM


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