The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that the Worcester Initiative for Supported Reentry received a $373,641 grant from The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts to offer increased services to 25 people under supervision of the Worcester Probation Department.
The grant allows various organizations and agencies in the city to collaborate services in order to provide a stronger reentry program to those released from prison. Both public and private organizations are involved in the new program, which, according to the Telegram & Gazette, will offer services including substance abuse treatment, assistance with housing and employment, family counseling, and clinical and case management for participants. The collaborative effort will ensure that duplicate services are avoided, thereby providing a more cost-effective reentry plan.
The Telegram & Gazette quotes Worcester Superior Court regional administrative justice, Judge James R. Lemire, as stating “The issue of recidivism is not just a criminal justice problem. To effectively address and reduce recidivism we must work collaboratively with our community solutions.”
Massachusetts reportedly spends $47,000 annually on each prisoner in the state’s prison system. The goal of The Worcester Initiative for Supportive Reentry is to see that the 25 individuals who participate in their program will save the state $1, 175,000 million by not recidivating, as well as becoming productive citizens.
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