In recent years, Lee County has seen
a growing awareness with regards to
reducing recidivism, and promoting
successful reintegration for formerly incarcerated
individuals. This is in line with
the rest of the country, where counties
across the US have guided the establishment
of reentry programs, partnerships
with the nonprofit and private sectors,
and a focus on rehabilitation and support
services.
Overall, Florida has a relatively low
recidivism rate compared to the rest of
the country, of just 25.4%, while Lee
County in particular had a slightly lower
average rate in 2017, of around 23.9%.
This is significantly lower than the average
number, which has been declining
in the past two decades, but still sits at
around 44%.
One key aspect of these efforts has
been the development of reentry programs
specifically designed to address
the needs of the formerly incarcerated
population. These programs often provide
a range of services, including job
training, education and skill development,
substance abuse treatment, and
mental health counseling.
By addressing the underlying factors
that contribute to recidivism, these programs
aim to improve outcomes for individuals
returning to the community after
incarceration.
One of the challenges that many
formerly incarcerated individuals face
upon reentry is the lack of access to
basic necessities like clothing, money,
and housing. These resources are often
critical for establishing stability and
success in the community, but they can
be difficult to come by for individuals
who have limited resources and support
networks.
To address these challenges, it is
important that local reentry programs
provide access to these resources, or
otherwise connect individuals with organizations
that can help. This could include
providing clothing vouchers, helping
individuals access temporary housing
or transitional housing programs, and
assisting with financial planning and budgeting.
In addition to these targeted reentry
programs, Lee County has also sought to
involve the nonprofit and private sectors
in its efforts to reduce recidivism.
One such program is called Operation
New Hope. Through their efforts,
they have calculated an average return
on investment of $2.86, meaning that the
previously incarcerated individuals are
contributing more to the economy and
taxes by being taken care of upon reentry,
than it costs to run the program by almost
3 times. Over the years, they have
helped more than 9000 people thrive in
society again.
These partnerships have included
everything from job training and employment
opportunities to housing and
other supportive services. By leveraging
the resources and expertise of
these organizations, Lee County has
been able to expand the scope and impact
of its efforts.
By offering employment and job training
opportunities, these sectors can help
formerly incarcerated individuals build
the skills and experience they need to
succeed in the workforce. This could include
internships, apprenticeships, or job
placements. It also helps foster a feeling
of acceptance in the community for the
formerly incarcerated, something that is
often overlooked.
Many studies agree that these programs
are necessary in order to further
improve the lives of everyone involved. A
great resource is the Prison Policy Initiative.
They curate a long list of research,
articles and other arguments for these
principles, with many acclaimed and
respected professors, researchers and
individuals arguing for these continued
efforts.
Nonprofits, for-profits, and private
sector organizations are found to provide
an incredibly beneficial range of supportive
services and resources. These
initiatives help the formerly incarcerated
individuals transition successfully back
into the community, and includes housing
assistance, financial counseling, and
other types of support.
By working together, these sectors
can develop and implement innovative
programs and initiatives that address
the needs of the formerly incarcerated
population in new and creative ways.
This could include using technology or
other innovative approaches to improve
access to services or create new opportunities.
Finally, these sectors can work together
to advocate for policy and systems
change at the local, state, and national
levels. This could include supporting legislation
that addresses the needs of the
formerly incarcerated population or working
to reform systems and policies that
contribute to recidivism.
Partnerships between the nonprofit,
for-profit, and private sectors can help to
bring about positive change and prosperity
for the formerly incarcerated population
and promote successful reintegration
into the community.
Lee County’s efforts to reduce recidivism
and promote successful reintegration
have demonstrated promising results.
While there is still work to be done,
these initiatives are helping to break the
cycle of recidivism and provide individuals
with the tools and resources they
need to build better lives for themselves
and their families.
