Title

Favour OrjiFebruary 1, 2014TAF AcademyTRANSITIONAL HOUSINGNeed for StudyHelp make information about transitional housing easily assessable for DOC agents.

Background InformationMore than 3.5 million people in the United States alone experience homelessness every year (NSCAHH,n.d).

The purpose of a transitional housing program is to provide short-time housing for individuals (Doe, 2013).

Virtually no systematic, comprehensive attention has been paid by policymakers to dealing with people after release, an issue termed prisoner reentry(Petersilia, 2000). Background Information Cont'dWhat is Transitional Housing:A program that provides short-term housing for individuals with either a private or shared common space.

Housing Voucher Program (HVP):A program that provides housing options and financial assistance to offenders who have reached there Earned Release Date (ERD).Driving Question and HypothesisQuestion:Can an App on transitional housing help decrease the number of inmates that are incarcerated?

Hypothesis:If information about transitional housing is made readily available to DOC agents, this will help make their job easier. Materials and MethodsMaterialsPhases of ProjectComputer Android SDK bundleJava Notebook/Journal Internet Android phone Phase 1: ResearchPhase 2: DevelopPhase 3: ReleasePhase 4: AdvertisePhase 5: Collect data Phase 6: RevisePhase 7: Re-introduceSurvey results from DOC agentsQuestions:Response: What system/procedure do you use in order to provide housing for your client?Intake questionnaire completed by individual.Classification counselor sends informationHousing agreement sent to counselorIndividual completes in presence of Classification CounselorIs the system/procedure that you use currently efficient and allow you to house more inmates?The current system is time consuming and does at times doesnt allow us to house more inmates. The current system only allows 3% of the Housing Voucher to go to DOC. How do you think the system can be improved?Have an App that can identify the type of housing available, with a list of resources that work with reentrance aspect. Have the amount of time it takes to get inmate into a house limited. Have housing list updated frequently.

APP Design

Analysis and ConclusionBased on the Data from the survey the conclusion has been made that the App has to:Be navigationalBe updated frequentlyDecrease the amount of time it takes to inmate to go from detention to housing. Raise awareness and knowledge about Voucher ProgramInclude information about resources available to inmate. Evaluation and Future ImplicationsEvaluationDue to the results from the survey an idea has been formed of what features the App needs to have in order to fulfill the need of the target demographic. This will help create easy methods that the DOC agents can take.

Future WorkThe next steps for this project is to create, finalize, and produce the App which will take an estimated two months extra. After the App has be completed it will be released and quantitative data can be collected.ReferencesDoe. J. (2013) Services and Program Glossary. Retrieved from http://www.janedoe.org/find_help/services_and_program_glossaryKyckelhahn. T. (2012)State Corrections Expenditures. Retrieved from http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4556NSCAHH. n.d. National Student Campaign Against Hunger & Homelessness. Retrieved from http://www.studentsagainsthunger.org/page/hhp/overview-homelessness-americaPetersilia, J. (2000) When Prisoners Return to the Community: Political, Economic, and Social Consequences. Retrieved from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/184253.pdfWest. C. H. (2007) Prisoners in 2007. Retrieved from http://www.realcostofprisons.org/materials/BJS_2007_Prison_Statistics.pdf