New York Department of Corrections Secures Grant to Bolster Re-entry Initiatives and Reduce Recidivism

The New York Department of Corrections secures a $498,500 grant to expand re-entry programs and effectively reduce recidivism rates.

A grant of almost half a million dollars, specifically directed towards enhancing services for individuals at high risk of reoffending to actively reduce recidivism, has been awarded to the New York Department of Corrections (NYDOC), as announced in the department’s press release.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance Fiscal Year 23 Smart Reentry: Expanding Jail Programs and Services grant, totaling $498,500, has been granted to the Department of Correction’s Programs and Community Partnerships Division. The funds will be utilized to enhance re-entry services and initiatives, specifically targeting the underlying systems contributing to criminal behavior and recidivism rates.

In a press release, Commissioner Louis Molina of the Department of Corrections emphasized the need to grow effective programming for incarcerated individuals, aiming to reduce recidivism and violence. He highlighted the importance of utilizing all available tools and strategies in the corrections field to provide the necessary resources for individuals in custody to smoothly reintegrate into their communities.

Molina expressed his gratitude that the Department of Justice acknowledged the success in New York City, investing in the department as a testament to the Adams administration’s holistic approach to enhancing public safety.

The New York Department of Corrections team intends to provide comprehensive post-release services and reentry programs to assist at least seventy high-risk individuals per year. Together, they will help these people overcome their challenges and spur positive transformation.

Group interventions will address topics such as anger management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and a trauma-informed curriculum that includes relapse prevention and seeking safety. Furthermore, assistance will be given to individuals in need of post-release services, such as housing, work, and access to public benefits, through partnerships with local organizations.

Organizers will provide more assistance by increasing the number of one-on-one engagements with participants who struggle to meet their goals or display behaviors that hinder their progress.

The department proposes to record incidents, measure individual engagement in individualized services, track the execution of service programs by discharge planners, and track community recidivism rates in order to assess its success.

Source: https://www.corrections1.com/re-entry-and-recidivism/nydoc-receives-grant-to-improve-services-for-high-risk-individuals-and-reduce-recidivism