When Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced a new “master plan” that is designed to make the state’s correctional system more cost effective, and also to increase the effectiveness of reintegrating newly released prisoners back into their communities, a segment of the plan included relying on sheriffs to play a major role in that process.
Massachusetts has a two-part custody system: those sentenced to up to 30 months are in the custody of county sheriffs, while those sentenced to 30 months or more are under the supervision of the state correctional system. The Hampden County Sheriff took the governor’s call to action seriously and created the After Incarceration Support Services program which connects returning citizens to a network comprised of 300 local service providers.
In an article in The Podium section of the Boston Globe Hampden County Sheriff Michael J. Ashe Jr, expounds on the fact that the majority of prisoners will be released back into the community one day, and that making sure these individuals are connected to needed services as soon as they are released is of paramount importance to ensure public safety and to thwart recidivism. Listing the obstacles to successful reentry, including homelessness, lack of employment opportunities and low educational levels,
Ashe calls for strong community partnerships, and gives a new twist to an old adage, claiming “It takes a village to reenter an offender." According to Ashe, this community partnership model works. Eighty percent of those released from the Hampden County correctional jail and who were plugged into support services have not recidivated during the past year.
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