Whatcom County Re-entry Coalition

2. Whatcom County Re-entry Coalition • Mission Statement: • To provide an efficient and supportive network • assistance for all former offenders • assistance for others at-risk • ensure their successful re-entry into our community.

3. Who are the Re-entry Coalition members? • Just Plain Folks • Former Prisoners • State DOC Representatives • Faith Community Representatives • Health Department Representatives • Community Service Providers

4. Three Reasons for Re-entry • SAFETY – Prevent new offenses • ECONOMIC – Lower the costs of imprisonment; reduce re-offenses • SOCIAL – Reduce the impact on victims; family; police; homeless population; etc.

5. Re-entry Coalition Goals • Improve public safety in Whatcom County • Reduce recidivism and criminal justice costs • Reduce emergency and other medical costs • Improve community education and support in regards to “Re-entry” • Promote community prevention and early intervention activities  • Provide assistance to people in need of a second chance to be successful members of our community.

6. Our Goal is Community Safety • Children • The Disabled • The Elderly • Others Who can be Preyed Upon

7. Prison inmates WILL be released back to OUR community. • 650,000 Nationally • Two Thirds will re-offend • 440,000 Nationally • Whatcom County will have their share

8. Educate the Public - Safety

9. Why Should I Care About Prisoner Re-entry • State DOC Statistics for Whatcom County – 2007 • Only 3% of Offenders have a life sentence without parole-97% WILLreturn • 536 Offenders Re-enter Yearly • 45 New DOC Clients Monthly • 752 Offenders Under Supervision

10. Why Should I Care About Prisoner Re-entry • W. C. JAIL BOOKING STATISTICS • 2003 4919 • 2004 5409 • 2005 5723 • 2006 5608 • 2007 8234 (Booking Restrictions Removed)

11. Why Should I Care About Prisoner Re-entry • W.C. JAIL 2007 DETAIL • 8234 Bookings • 596 Transferred to State DOC Prisons • 167 Transferred to Federal Custody • 7126 Re-enter Our Community • 3200 On Probation-Average

12. Drug Users, Alcoholics and other Substance Abusers WILL re-enter into OUR community. • Meet them immediately upon return • Connect them to Housing • Connect them to Recovery Groups • Connect them to Services

13. Educate the Public - Costs

14. What’s the cost of doing nothing statewide (DOC)? • We spend $31,600 per year,$2,633 per month to incarcerate one offender, which is over $1,200 a year per taxpayer. • Over 18,000 offenders are currently incarcerated in Washington State. • Over 42,000 offenders are on some form of Department of Corrections supervision. • We are currently exceeding our prison capacity by over 1,600 beds per day. • Nearly 1,000 Washington State offenders are being housed in four other states

15. The cost of doing nothing statewide (DOC), cont’d? • There are six major prison expansions underway in Washington State that, upon completion, will provide an additional 3,000+ offender beds at a cost of over 1 Billion dollars and then over 9 Million dollars additional per year for operating costs. • Research-based projections: by the year 2017 the Department will be short an additional 4,000 beds.

16. How do you want to spend your money? • Incarcerate offenders repeatedly at $31,600 per year OR • Restore the offender to the community as a working taxpaying contributor.

17. These people are our sons; daughters; fathers; mothers; aunts and uncles etc. • They will be residents of our community • Reach out to them long before release • Build relationships • Re-establish their sense of community • Build mentor teams • Follow up with them

18. If there is no housing for them, they WILL go Homeless! • Housing is the key to successful re-entry • People need safe, warm, dry shelter • Support requires stable housing • Follow up & Support require an address • Homelessness leads to despair and hopelessness

19. If they are Homeless, they WILL re-offend!!!!! • Homeless offenders are inclined to “act out” and commit violent crimes • Commit a crime and get “Three Hots and a Cot” • Homeless Sex Offenders have no hope

20. Let’s find housing for these folks! • Reduce the chance of re-offending • Use the state HGAP funds wisely • Model after success in Hennepin County Minnesota • Model after success in Portland Oregon

21. The Re-entry Coalition IS working with service providers to find Housing for them. • Connect with the Homeless Service Center • Work with local DOC officials • Connect with Landlords • Connect with Housing Agencies

22. The Re-entry Coalition IS working with service providers to find Services for them. • Connect with State Service Agencies • Connect with County Service Agencies • Connect with Faith based Agencies • Connect with Veterans Agencies

23. The Re-entryCoalition IS working with WorkSource and employers. • Connect with WorkSource • Build Employer list • Follow up with Employers • Connect with Training Programs

24. We need your help-Volunteer Opportunities • Speakers for our Speakers Bureau • Liaisons with Community Service Organizations • Training Team Members • Housing Locators • Transition Coaches

25. Volunteer Training Program • Your safety is paramount • A comprehensive classroom and on-line training program is used • Position Descriptions for volunteer positions are used for clarity • Manipulation, Harassment and Boundaries are emphasized

26. Volunteer Participation • An opportunity to participate with other committed people • Work in teams with folks that love to collaborate • Give back to your community from your gifts and experiences • Help stop the insanity of re-offense

27. You can also help by: • Identifying Landlords • Identifying Employers • Identifying Sources of Funding • Finding Volunteers

29. Recidivism – Cycle Back to Prison/ Jail • National D.O.J. stats 80% • WA State DOC stats 43.2% • Spiritual Relationship 12%

30. What about Sex Offender Recidivism? • National D.O.J. stats 5.2% • WA State – S.O.T.P. stats 2.9%

31. Sex Crimes Against Children • Only 15% of all Sex Crimes • Only 2.25% against children not known to the offender • Therefore 85% of offenses to children are to those known to the offender