The Center for Court Innovation - Parole Reentry Court

WHAT IS IT?

The Harlem Community Justice Center, in cooperation with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Division of Parole, helps parolees returning to the Harlem community from incarceration make the transition from life in prison to responsible citizenship. The Justice Center links parolees to a wide range of social services, including drug treatment, transitional employment and vocational services, health care and mental health treatment. Where appropriate, these services are also offered to family members as well to help increase stability in the home. To promote increased accountability, participants are required to return to the Justice Center frequently to meet with case managers and parole officers and appear before an administrative law judge, who closely monitors their compliance with court orders. The goal is to prevent parolees from re-offending by helping them find jobs and assume familial and personal responsibility.

HOW IT WORKS

The Harlem Community Justice Center's work with parolees is based on the following principles:

Comprehensive Information: Potential participants undergo a pre-release assessment in prison to determine their suitability for the program. Parole staff in correctional facilities work closely with Justice Center staff to develop detailed profiles of participating inmates that include information about medical status (including mental health), addiction, criminal involvement, living arrangements, vocational skills and family composition. Based on this information, a customized treatment and supervision plan is prepared for each participant.

Accountability: After their release, parolees appear frequently at the Justice Center to report on their compliance with the treatment and supervision plans. To promote compliance, the Justice Center uses graduated sanctions and rewards. Sanctions for misbehavior, missed appointments and "dirty" urine samples may include curfews, increased court appearances and, in the most serious cases, return to prison. Rewards, which provide positive reinforcement for positive behavior, include reduced court reporting and relaxation of travel restrictions

Coordinated Services: The Justice Center emphasizes early identification of parolees' needs and speedy links to programs that deal with concerns that may affect successful community reintegration. To improve service delivery, Justice Center staff, parole officers and service providers convene regular case conferences. When appropriate, parole officers and reentry court staff will meet with the family members of parolees to encourage their assistance and support. The Justice Center has access to both on-site and community-based vocational and treatment services.

Aftercare: After fulfilling the requirements of their treatment plan, participants' cases will continue to be monitored by the Justice Center to ensure compliance with parole conditions. Where parolees have committed infractions, their cases will be returned to the Justice Center for further action.

PARTNERS

Partners include the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, New York State Division of Parole, the Center for Employment Opportunities, Palladia, and local service providers.

PROJECT LIST:

Bronx Community Solutions

Brooklyn Domestic Violence Court

Brooklyn Mental Health Court

Brooklyn Treatment Court

Center for Courts and the Community

Child Witness Program

Crown Heights Mediation Center

Domestic Violence Court

Harlem Community Justice Center

Integrated Domestic Violence Court

Manhattan Family Treatment Court

Midtown Community Court

Parole Reentry Court

QUEST

Red Hook Community Justice Center

Red Hook Public Safety Corps

Staten Island Youth Justice Center

Youth Court

Youth Domestic Violence Court

Youth Justice Board

FEATURED PUBLICATION

Prisoner Reentry and Employment
Provides an overview for reentry practitioners and policymakers of New York State's Correction Law Article 23-A that provides protections for persons with a criminal conviction seeking employment.
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The Harlem Parole Reentry Court Evaluation: Implementation and Preliminary Impact
By Donald Farole, Jr.
An evaluation of the Harlem Parole Reentry Court, a pilot demonstration project designed to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a collaborative, community-based approach to managing offender reentry from prison. The evaluation documents the project implementation process; identifies critical implementation challenges; and reports the results of preliminary impacts on offender recidivism and re-incarceration rates.
download PDF version