Success or Recidivism

1. Success or Recidivism The Power of Standards and The “Plan”

2. Career Tech Skills Centers (CTSC) What is a Career Tech Skills Center?

3. Superintendent of Schools Chair Board of CareerTech Board of Education Department of Corrections Department of Career & Technology Education Department of Education Technology Centers Comprehensive Schools CareerTech Programs Within DOC Facilities Regents For Higher Education Career Tech Skills Centers CareerTech Learning Network Business & Industry Juvenile Occup. Programs Universities & Community Colleges Occup. Training Within Private Prison

4. Oklahoma Statistics • Rank second in the incarceration of women per capita in united states • Rank fourth in the incarceration of men per capita in united states • One in eight Oklahoma families has an immediate member incarcerated • Oklahoma discharges 8,000 inmates annually

5. Possible Outcomes for Discharging Inmates: Success Recidivism

7. How can we have a positive impact on recidivism? Can we do the “same old thing” and expect “different results”?

8. Challenges of Re-entry • Time consuming • Long term process • Requires planning – pre-release and post release • Daily reinforcement of issues • Finding information and getting assistance for releasing inmates

9. What is the Economic Impact of Lowering Recidivism? Fewer inmates in system Larger tax base Social programs reduced

10. What are the hidden costs of recidivism? Court and prosecution cost Family dependency on assistance programs

11. What are the hidden costs of recidivism? • Lower tax base, not employed, no productivity as an employee • Child support • Higher costs to government, competition for funding of corrections

12. CTSC Re-Entry System Components Pre-release – identifying and removing barriers to successful re-entry. Focus on career technical education, life skills and employability training Post-release – support system to assist in the removal of barriers both real and perceived

13. Pre-Release Components • Academic Enhancement • Career Technical Training • Develop Life Success Plan • Life Skills/Employability • Remove Barriers to Success

14. Career Technical Training • Student are aligned with programs based on interests, past work experience and ability to benefit • All Skills Centers programs are competency based • Training modules duplicate industry process and quality expectations

15. Life Success Plan • Instructor and student focus on issues contributing to success. Mutual planning must take place for student buy-in and for real change to take place. • Establishes responsibility and accountability by identifying expectations and developing a plan of action. Student centered and competency based delivery systems become easier to manage.

16. Life Success Plan/Employability • Identify barriers for re-entry to community and workforce

17. Life Success Plan/Employability • Develop a “plan” to secure information prior to release, includes credit history, Department of Public Safety reports, fines, child support, plans for restitution, etc • Identify housing, transportation and employment needs

18. Life Success Plan/Employability • Financial planning, budgets, leases, credit cards, banking issues • Managing personal affairs • Resume and portfolio development • Interview skills • Employment search • Finding assistance and help for specific needs

19. Skills Centers Standards • Used as a tool for both student and instructor to set clear expectations • Students are pre and post assessed • Training specific to knowledge base • Plan for the future – address issues and challenges facing discharging students

20. Seeking and Securing Employment Prepare to search for employment. Search for a job using proper techniques. Interview for a job. Retain a job. Develop a plan of action.

21. Management of Personal, Family and Business Matters Organize and maintain data. Maintain a filing system. Utilize sound risk management techniques. Understand probation and parole status. Know driving privilege requirements. Understand auto insurance requirements. Sex offender registration.

22. Personal Interaction and Human Relation Skills Respect others, maintain self-confidence and positive self-esteem. Be tolerant of others Exhibit positive attitude toward work skills and potential for success.

23. Successfully Managing Finances Understand the differences between gross and net income. Create and manage a financial plan. Create and manage a basic budget. Identify basic banking services. Identify basic types of retirement plans and issues associated with them.

24. Possessing and Demonstrating Positive Character Traits Respect for others and fairness. Model traits reflecting trustworthiness. Model traits consistent with positive value system.

25. Family Relationships Positively communicate with family members. Positively communicate with spouse. Exhibit positive parent-child relationships. Child support and payments

26. Legal Responsibilities and Rights Selective Service Registration. Firearms ownership for ex-felons. Voting Rights after release. Locate and Access Social Services. Social Security Laws. Pardon and Parole responsibilities (report in 72 hours) Sex offender registration

27. Mathematical Operations Whole Numbers Fractions Decimals Percents Measurement Geometry

28. Team Approach and “The Plan” • Transition Specialist is Team Leader • Academic Instructors • Career Tech Instructors • Student

31. Three Year : General Population is 72% Five Year : General Population is 64% Three Year :Career Tech is 81% Five Year: Career Tech is 74% Survival Rates Compared: General Population and Career Tech

32. Economic Impact of Reducing Recidivism by 10% • 8,000 Inmates released annually • 8,000 X 10% = 800 Inmate difference • $16,600 per Inmate Housing Costs • Projected Economic Impact : $13,280,000 per year • Over five years: Approximately $66, 400,000

33. Oklahoma CTSC Statistics FY 2004 • 2,086 Students served in 59 programs • Average daily enrollment 935 students • 87.73% returned to workforce gainfully employed • 62.27% were employed in areas directly related to training • Average reporting wage $8.59

34. CTSC Economic Impact • Reduce Recidivism by 10% • 2,086 X 10% = 209 • 209 Inmates Incarcerated at $16,600 = $3,469,400.00 • Five Years Savings for Oklahoma Tax Payers - $17,347,000

35. Oklahoma CTSC Statistics FY 2004 CTSC Graduates not in workforce: • Graduates status unknown –21 • Unemployed, not seeking – 19 • Unemployed actively seeking – 30 • Back in system – 12 • Continuing education - 13

36. Offender Employment:Why It Matters? • An unemployed offender is three times more likely to return to prison • An unstable employment record is a major predictor of continued criminal conduct

38. Re-entry Preparation Occupational Training Enhanced Applied Academics Life Skills/Employability Post-Release Needs Assessment Preparations for Re-entry

45. Post - Release Services Located at Workforce Oklahoma Offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa Coordinate services for graduates seeking assistance

46. Workforce Oklahoma Offices Services Include: • Legal services • Credit counseling • Parenting Education • Drug/Alcohol Recovery • Medical services

47. Workforce Oklahoma Offices Services Include: • Employment services – job searches, resume development, GED preparation • Social Services • Veterans Services • Family support – child care, housing, rehabilitation services, etc

48. Department of Labor Grant • Serve Young offenders 16 to 21 years of age • Infra structure in place, adding academic components and additional transition specialists • Received $1,000.000 to implement system. One of eight grants issued for maximum amount

49. Jim Meek, Ed.D.Assistant SuperintendentCareer Tech Skills Centersjmeek@okcareertech.org