The Urban Institute has issued a wealth of information geared to elected officials who are concerned with the dire prospects of the nine million Americans who are released from jails each year. (This figure does not reflected the inmates released from prisons.) The Elected Official’s Toolkit for Jail Reentry, written by Jesse Janetta, Hannah Dodd, and Brian Elder broom, provides a how-to guide to those elected officials who want to create a reentry initiative in their community, and also has tips for reentry initiatives already in operation.
The focus is on local reentry initiatives because of the huge part such programs can play in cutting the recidivism rate, and helping formerly incarcerated people obtain the services that they need, such as housing, employment and substance abuse and mental health treatment. Local elected officials have the opportunity to gather support from many different services providers in their area. By bringing together law enforcement, correctional departments, faith based initiatives, victims’ advocates, service agencies, community organizations and formerly incarcerated people with the goal of creating a strong and committed reentry initiative, the Toolkit maintains the effort will reduce recidivism, cut budget costs, and increase public safety.
The importance of the role reentry initiatives play, and why elected officials should implement them is the cornerstone of this important document. When elected officials support reentry initiatives the whole community benefits. According to the Urban Institute reentry initiatives not only provide the opportunity for changing the behavior of formerly incarcerated people, but can also reduce crime and the homelessness rate, increase public health and public safety, provide links with community organizations, improve information sharing with law enforcement/corrections agencies, and in the long run help ease the tax payers’ burden.
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