~ The site is the first of its kind to come out of an AG’s office and brings re-entry resources directly to sheriffs, jail practitioners, family members, local citizens, and ex-offenders ~
VIRGINIA BEACH (October 23, 2018) – Attorney General Mark R. Herring today announced the launch of VirginiaReEntry.org, Virginia’s first ever online re-entry portal, which provides a “one-stop shop” for people involved in every phase of helping Virginians re-enter communities after incarceration. This portal is the first of its kind to come out of an attorney general’s office and offers resources directly to sheriffs, practitioners and citizens who want to help formerly incarcerated individuals return to their communities and lead successful lives. Attorney General Herring made the announcement at his 2018 Statewide Jail Re-entry Conference.
“When folks who are transitioning back into our communities are given the resources they need to be successful, well-adjusted members of society it not only helps them but it also makes our communities safer and saves taxpayer dollars,” said Attorney General Mark Herring. “This first of its kind portal offers something for everyone by providing information and resources for sheriffs, re-entry organizations, potential employers, community and family members, and those who are returning to society. I am proud of the work that my office has done over the past few years to help localities build strong re-entry programs and we will continue to help them make sure that their returning citizens are given every opportunity to be successful following incarceration.”
Ninety-six percent of incarcerated individuals will eventually return to their communities, which is why strong, comprehensive re-entry programs and resources are so important. When people transitioning back to the community are provided individualized case management, treatment services, and support networks both prior to release and immediately following incarceration, they have a better chance at success. If ex-offenders re-enter their community with the same underlying trauma, addiction, or anger it can make communities less safe and perpetuate a cycle of re-incarceration that costs taxpayers money and strains families.
“We know that 96 percent of people in jail will return to our community,” said Norfolk Sheriff Joseph “Joe” Baron. “By utilizing our evidence based Re-entry Programming and innovative programming in partnership with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office Re-entry Program such as the Innovations in Supervision Initiative, we are providing offenders a better path to be successful in the community which will have an major impact on improving our recidivism rates in Virginia.”
“The Re-entry portal will give all parties involved in the process an opportunity to have a central location where information can be exchanged, communicated and maintained,” said Arlington Sheriff Beth Arthur. “Having this portal available with established information and services, will ultimately give participants in any Re-entry program more opportunities to be successful as they transition out into our communities.”
The re-entry portal provides something for everyone including sheriffs, jail administrators and staff, non-profit organizations, faith-based volunteers, potential employers, treatment service providers, legislators, judges, media, family members and returning citizens.
- Information on best practices in the re-entry field
- Examples of efforts around Virginia
- Grant information
- Training schedules and data input options
- Printable, regional specific materials
- Training modules and presentations
- Resources for families and communities to help their loved ones re-enter society in a productive way.
Resources for sheriffs and other jail practitioners
The portal provides information on the Office of the Attorney General’s suggested re-entry model, the Transition from Jail to Community (TJC), which was developed by the National Institute of Corrections in partnership with the Urban Institute. This model achieves the goals of enhancing public safety and reducing recidivism through a systematic and collaborative approach. You can also find the What Works in Re-entry Clearinghouse, a “one-stop shop” for research on the effectiveness of a wide variety of re-entry programs and practices. Additionally, there is information on DMV Connect, a program that was originally created to provide identification cards to incarcerated individuals pending release, as identification is necessary to secure jobs, open bank accounts, enter public buildings, and apply for benefits
Resources for families and returning citizens
Re-entry can be a time of both positivity but also stress for both the returning individual and their family. To make the transition as smooth as possible it is important to use every resource available including:
- Probation Officers: If a returning citizen has a probation officer, he or she can be a great source of information.
- Community Corrections, The Virginia Department of Corrections, which provides supervision and services for probationers and parolees and is a good source for general information.
- The Family Engagement page of the Virginia Department of Social Services
- Re-entry Councils: Find out what Re-entry Councils are and what they can do for you, and find the Council that serves your location.
Employer Advantages
Employment is a pillar to successful re-entry and motivated employees are a lynchpin to successful business. Hiring returning citizens has proven beneficial to employers because:
- Ex-offenders whose crimes are long in the past pose no greater risk than people in the general population
- Returning citizens have a network of support to aid in their success.
- Federal programs add additional security by bonding employees.
- There are tax incentives to hire returning citizens.
When Attorney General Herring began his first term in 2014, he saw that the state had developed a comprehensive plan to address re-entry and recidivism reduction for state inmates who left state prisons, but there was no coordinated programming or assistance for local and regional jails. He made it a priority to provide the first-ever state-level assistance to coordinate, expand, and improve re-entry efforts in local and regional jails, including the hiring of DeVon Simmons as Virginia’s first local jail re-entry coordinator.
