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Cam Ward, Director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, writes about leading efforts to transform reentry success across Alabama as a member of Reentry 2030—a national initiative led by the Correctional Leaders Association, The Council of State Governments Justice Center, and JustLeadershipUSA:
“When a person returns to their community after serving their time in Alabama, they should be able to do so with confidence that they will receive the skills and supports necessary for gainful employment, financial stability, a renewed commitment to their families, and good health. And the rest of us should stand ready to walk alongside them. But too often, we send people home woefully underprepared and unsupported for the realities they face after release, which is a direct threat to public safety. The result is predictable: 30 percent of those community members will be back in prison within three years.
Our goal is as simple as it is bold: cut our state’s recidivism rate in half by 2030.
“I know we can do better, and that’s why I’m proud Governor Kay Ivey has asked me to lead a transformative new initiative for our state called Reentry 2030. Our goal is as simple as it is bold: cut our state’s recidivism rate in half by 2030. We will also increase participation in post-release employment services by 50 percent over the same period. With over 43,000 people in Alabama currently serving on either probation or parole, these efforts could greatly assist in improving public safety. …
“Reentry 2030 aims to dramatically improve reentry success for people exiting prison and those under supervision. By joining the initiative, we get support from these national organizations to meet the goals we set for ourselves. We’ll exchange ideas with Missouri and the other states I believe will follow our lead.
“The bottom line: we must provide better reentry programing to the post-incarcerated population of our state …”
(Photo above by Mike Cason, AL.com)
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