Program aims to keep ex-cons out of prison

Each of the men seated around the table in U.S. District Court in Toledo had been in a federal courtroom before - behind a defense table and before a robed judge.

This time, it was different.

Seated side by side with attorneys and judges, the men involved in the local re-entry program didn't appear in court to be judged. This court appearance aimed to help them.

In existence for just more than a year, the federal re-entry program in Toledo is designed to help high-risk offenders recently out of prison succeed in their lives away from the lockup. Made up of judges, public defenders, assistant U.S. attorneys, and members of the federal probation department, STAR - Successful Transition Accelerated Re-entry - creates an informal and interactive setting where officials can check on a participant's progress and participants can ask for help.

"It's a good program. They're here for you if you want them," said a 32-year-old man who was released from federal prison a year ago for various drug and violent offenses and recently graduated from the program. "I had a lot of family support, but I needed [the program] to keep me focused."

In a country where 2.3 million people are incarcerated and another 5 million are on probation or parole, re-entry programs are becoming increasingly important, U.S. District Judge Jack Zou-hary said.

Because of overcrowding, prisons often are unable to focus on offering life and job skills and that means about 650,000 people each year return home from a state or federal prison ill-equipped to live a productive life.

And with an annual price tag of $27,000 to keep an inmate incarcerated in Ohio, the cost of crime is measured in both community safety and dollars spent, he said.

"We need to increase their chances for success while decreasing recidivism and decreasing tax dollars spent," the judge said. "…To break the cycle of reoffending, intensive intervention is necessary."

The federal program has worked with 14 offenders. Two have graduated and two have ended up back in prison. The remainder are in various stages in the year-long program.

According to Eric Corns, supervisor in the pretrial services and probation department for the U.S. District Court in Toledo, only those ex-inmates who were incarcerated for violent or gun-involved crimes and categorized as high-risk are considered for the program.

He said they are asked if they want to participate and if they agree, time is knocked off of their supervised release obligations.

Most sign on, he said.

The setting is casual and often, group members joke and laugh with each other. The offenders not only offer updates on their own progress but often give suggestions to others in the group.

But officials involved expect results and will call someone to task if he is failing in some way. That may mean requiring a participant to submit to a drug test in the middle of the monthly meeting.

The program is not the only local effort trying to keep ex-convicts from returning to prison. Other agencies focus on those being released from the state penal system.

The Re-entry Coalition of Northwest Ohio, a collaboration of public agencies, nonprofit organizations, residents, businesses, and faith-based partners, started as a grass-roots organization that helps bring services to released offenders. By working together, the group can identify needs and help individuals address those concerns in an attempt to keep people away from crime.

The organizations come together on the first Wednesday of each month to offer an informal introduction to the services available locally to ex-inmates.

Speaking frankly to those who attend the forum at One Government Center, local service providers hammer in that those coming out of prison will run into barriers, but groups exist to help remove them.

"The idea is to not reinvent the wheel, but instead help [offenders] find out what's already out there," said Lenora Barry, the coalition's project director. "…It just makes sense. We're trying to make the community safer by reducing recidivism."

U.S. District Judge James Carr said he recently took the re-entry court model and applied it to a defendant prior to sentencing him. Informally dubbed "pre-entry," the idea is to offer the intensive help prior to spending the money to incarcerate someone, Judge Carr said.

A 34-year-old defendant with an extensive history of drug convictions who recently pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm is the first defebdant to be involved in the admittedly experimental idea. He has intensive supervision, drug screens.

"I've simply postponed sentencing and have set a schedule that essentially is the same as in our re-entry court," Judge Carr said.

He added that ultimately, he is looking for "an outcome that accomplishes real changes and more importantly, lasting change."

STAR participants' obligations include attending monthly meetings, following their supervised release obligations, and working toward monthly goals given to them by the group. Those who are successful receive monthly notations and periodic gift certificates as rewards.

Ultimately, the program is about giving the participants the tools they need to be successful.

Participants, for their part, are asked to come with a good attitude.

In welcoming a new member to the group recently, federal Magistrate Judge Vernelis Armstrong said the group expects to meet with participants to ensure they live "a law-abiding life."

"Our purpose is to support you and help you," she said. "We can only do so much. In the end it's up to the individual."

Contact Erica Blake at:

eblake@theblade.com

or 419-213-2134.