Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Faith-Based Suggestions
Related Links
Correctional Faith-Based Initiatives Task Force Leadership Input Forum Suggestions
- Volunteer Specific Concerns (click to view specific recommendations)
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- Make it easier for volunteers to enter into the facilities
- Volunteers should network with Unit Management Staff
- Simply gate pass procedures
- Keep volunteer information updated in Departmental Offender Tracking System
- Educate volunteers of expectations
- Develop consistent entrance authorization procedures
- Allow volunteers to become involved earlier in incarceration
- Be more open and receptive to volunteers
- Change institution culture to be more hopeful towards offenders and be more receptive to volunteers and realize that this helps victims by creating less victims
- Provide volunteers reasonable access to information
- Allow volunteers greater access to inmates to help prepare them for community reentry
- Volunteers need access to Unit Management staff to assist with inmate/youth needs
- Allow religious services employees and volunteers to have access to state facilities, i.e., chaplain in county can come to state institutions once the inmate is transferred
- Establish and publish "volunteer rights"
- Establish a mediation process for volunteers in the event there are accusations of misconduct
- Be more responsive to volunteer requests
- Provide training and support systems for volunteers
- Develop consistent policy for ex-offender participation in volunteer programming
- Need better and more extensive recruitment of mentors
- Staff need to be educated on variety of faiths and allow faiths to participate in the training
- Staff need to be less disruptive in allowing volunteers to provide services
- Communication (click to view specific recommendations)
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- Everyone must be kept informed through means such as newsletters, media, Website, etc.
- Provide direction to interpret security concerns which have traditionally been barriers to programs
- Be open to new ideas
- Need more interaction with leadership so they know who is providing the programming
- Need better communication
- Keep Website updated
- Follow through on promises
- Conduct regular meetings with volunteers
- Share information--to be advocates to embrace reentry
- Share resources to develop linkages
- Emphasize and communicate the positive things offenders are doing
- Bring institutions and organization together to talk about issues and share information
- Provide mechanism to resolve issues of empowerment
- Articulate need to faith based community
- Expand awareness to the community through Rotary clubs and other organizations
- Use volunteers to increase communication between county and state organizations, legislation, commissioners, corrections, sheriffs, etc.
- Collaborate and bring together service providers
- Encourage networking with other agencies, i.e., local jails, group homes, corporate leaders, etc.
- Educate the public, officers, and employers in the community about the real needs of ex-offenders
- Prepare the community to accept the ex-offender
- Post solutions on the Web site so the "wheel is not reinvented"
- List "best practices" on the Web site
- Invite grassroots organizations into facilities
- Identify STG leaders returning to community
- Eliminate duplicated efforts of providing reentry information--establish a uniform directory
- Work with and educate businesses
- More exposure with "model" ex-offenders
- Educate faith community regarding the DRC and DYS departments
- Distribute document illustrating providers and services--send document to entire community
- Pass on the word via newsletters, newspapers, memos, etc.
- Distribute clear information to the inmates as to where food banks are located, who provides clothes, etc.
- Host mentor forums, etc.
- There is a need for uniformity with the departments
- There should be a contact list circulated for participants/service specialties
- Establish a computer link to community programming
- More effective communication with community resources with history of involvement with offenders entering the prison system
- Programs (click to view specific recommendations)
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- Provide more structured programs that focus on life skills, jobs, family, etc.
- Create a shift in philosophy--good programming creates better security
- Educate offenders about available programming
- Create incentive for offender involved in programs
- Schedule slots for programming and follow through with schedule
- Offer programs that include "family meals"
- Offer programs that include more family participation
- Offer programs that provide the offender the opportunity to interact with his or her children
- Provide "Marriage Encounter" programs
- Begin interaction/mentoring at incarceration to release within the family following release--earlier invention
- Provide program materials
- Mandate that offenders complete programming during incarceration
- Provide family case management
- Work with and provide intervention training for "at risk" children of offenders
- Increase in-house programming for the family
- Work with parenting partners
- Educate the family on ex-offender transition barriers
- Provide better coordination to community based programs
- Use more ex-offenders in programming
- Develop inmate mentors making use of skills and expertise
- Implement a variety of programs that will serve as a liaison back to the county of residence
- Bring success stories from former inmates to share with current inmates
- Hold program participants to a higher standard
- Develop more aftercare programs
- Improve education of families, community volunteers, etc. on how to work with offenders
- Use a holistic approach to reentry that includes family, parents, significant others, children, etc.
- There is a need for programming that doesn't require the participants to have children or other limiting factors
- Make programming available to inmates with shorter sentences
- Make certain that training that is being offered is relevant to job opportunities
- Increase programming and education funding
- Establish mentors for offender families
- Dedicate program space
- Identity resources to program providers
- Provide greater access to Family Worship Services
- Community organizations should work more closely with ex-offenders in the community
- Work more closely with at risk gang youth
- Collaborate with other organizations to provide services
- Display the "Returning Home to Stay" on the DRC Web site
- There is a need for more diversion programs
- Improve pre-release life skills programming
- Encourage family strengthening programming
- Mind set shift with realization that ex-offenders and community resources supporting ex-offenders are assets
- Employment (click to view specific recommendations)
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- Create jobs for ex-offenders
- Provide job coaching
- Establish employment/business partnerships
- Need funding for economic development that will create jobs for ex-offenders
- Focus on jobs that provide wages someone can live on
- Increase number of volunteer tutors to include job skills and coaches
- Hire ex-offenders for reentry initiatives
- Survey employers who hire formerly incarcerated persons
- State government should take the stance to employers to make priority the hiring of ex-offenders
- Provide on-going case management
- Establish a mentorship for ex-offenders
- Research what business/organizations will hire ex-offenders
- Training (click to view specific recommendations)
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- Educate staff (security and programs)
- Increase preparation and attention to detail that all levels of the organization understand
- Leaders should set priorities for the organization
- Leaders need to support the Chaplains
- Train DYS/DRC leadership of importance of this initiative
- Build positive relationships
- Staff needs to be more open and responsive to the community
- Display the positive actions the youth are involved in
- Provide consistent business practices at the institution
- Be more accepting that there are different types of relationships/family outside of the traditional marriage
- Need strong commitment from the department
- Provide hope and encourage relationships
- Work with and train DRC and DYS wardens and superintendents regarding this initiative
- Need true buy-in to treatment programs
- Make community aware that faith-based services are available to inmates and parolees
- Include inmates when evaluating needs
- Provide passion and commitment
- Provide manuals to volunteers that address issues such as who to go to for what, protocols, entrance procedures, etc.
- Invite ex-offenders to Leadership Input forums
- Work on a means to "highlight" success (PBS, Video, etc.)
- Better training of officers involved with admissions
- Reentry (click to view specific recommendations)
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- Use more out-of-state resources
- Compile a manual/listing of services available upon offender release
- Assign Reentry Coordinators who are dedicated to the mission of reentry
- Assist with transportation issues
- Develop resource centers for ex-offenders
- Provide information/funds on organizations/clubs to assist ex-offenders
- Solicit community assistance prior to release
- Faith based organizations need to be more receptive to the inmate once released--better transition from institution to community
- Use term "reentry participant" vs. "ex-offender"
- Give more of a voice to the inmates and ex-offender
- Broaden the reentry management team
- Make sure inmates have proper ID upon release
- Establish an account that inmates can opt to pay into for services to inmates
- There needs to be a community-based facility in Cuyahoga County to help keep families connected
- Have paid mentors on staff at facilities with a history of criminal justice involvement
- Legal (click to view specific recommendations)
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- Waive sanctions that prevent State employment
- Look at alternatives to prison sentences
- Lift legislative restrictions on legal aid serving inmates, identification issues, paperwork, and child support debt
- Eliminate collateral sanctions that prevent employment opportunities for ex-offenders
- Changes are needed for debt accrued via child support
- Need more assistance from politicians/officials
- Funding (click to view specific recommendations)
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- DRC and DYS to leverage funding for programs and services
- Provide funding for services
- Funding issues
- More funds to support small programs
- Need more funding and grants
- Housing (click to view specific recommendations)
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- There is a great need for additional housing
- Need multiple options for housing
- Additional housing is needed for ex-offenders
- Consider "group homes" for housing
- Provide multiple options for housing
- Provide more transitional housing
- Provide linkage to service providers regarding transitional housing
Contact: Shelli Branch
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
614-752-1704