A Grassroots Public Safety Organization

Transcription

1 A Grassroots Public Safety Organization Presenter James Jones, CJC Executive Director 5625 "O" Street, Suite 114 Lincoln, NE Phone: (402) Lincoln, NE Presenter Cindy Wohlers-Green, Lancaster Co. Day Reporting Center Coordinator NE State Probation Lincoln, NE (402)

2 Welcome

3 Our Training/Learning Objectives 1. Community Justice Center (CJC) - brief history 2. Utilizing CJC Victim Impact Statements in Offender Curriculum (surrogate crime victims CJC website) 3. How CJC effectively motivates offenders to ACTION Harm and Repairing that Harm! 4. CJC s Outcomes - Recidivism Rates

4 CJC Mission Statement To provide support services and resource information to crime victims, offenders and communities addressing the harm caused by crime while increasing public safety.

5 James Jim Jones, Executive Director Received a 3 to 5 year prison sentence in Nebraska for Robbery Attended Southeast Community College Earning two AA degrees Youth and Drug & Alcohol Counseling Became an AmeriCorps member - developed and created a Juvenile Offenders program called Victims First Team Created the Community Justice Center that same year attended the National Victims Assistance Academy Received a Full Pardon from the Governor of Nebraska Received the 2009 National Service to Mankind Award from SERTOMA International

6 Victims First Team Addressing the needs of Crime Victims, Youthful Offenders and the Community Harm and repairing that harm Harm and repairing that harm The evolution of the Community Justice Center

7 Cindy Wohlers-Green, DRC Coordinator State Probation Officer, Juvenile and Adult Presentence Investigation Officer, District and County Courts Domestic Violence Supervision Officer Supervisor, Presentence Investigation Unit *Received NE State Probation Supervisor of the Year Award present Coordinator Developed the Lancaster County Adult Reporting Center (RC) in Lincoln, NE, one of five Reporting Centers in NE, contracts for services in the RC Also served as a trainer for NE State Probation for new probation officers and as a board member for NE Correctional Assoc.

8 CJC Background CJC is a statewide Urban/Rural Public Safety organization assisting crime victims and offenders CJC Leadership/Board of Directors is made up of concerned community members including Drug/Alcohol, Law Enforcement, Parole officer, Legal and Mental Health Professionals CJC Funding - State Contracts, Grants and Fee for Services (individual pay)

9 CJC Target Populations Adult and Juvenile Offenders * Incarcerated Persons * Individuals on Probation and Parole - Re-Entry Programs, Day/Evening Reporting Centers - Other alternative to incarceration programs such as Problem Solving/Drug Court and Diversion Services

10 Where CJC got its start? Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) Six institutions throughout NE District #3 State Probation in Lancaster County Day Reporting Center, Diversion Services Federal Probation & NE State Parole District #2 State Probation in Sarpy County (DRC) District #4 State Probation in Douglas County (DRC)

11 CJC and Reporting Center Partnership 2007 First contract between the Reporting Center and CJC for Victim Impact / Offender Motivational Class SSAS/CBI clients with high scores in the Antisocial domain of the Level of Service Case Management Instrument (LSCMI) CJC and RC Coordinator began a recidivism study with FBI and Crime Commission permission to utilize NCIC and Justice to determine CJC impact on individuals referred to the RC

12 CJC/RC Partnership Cont. CJC addresses motivation and denial/ minimization responsibility issues of class attendees Impacts attendee s willingness to engage in other groups/classes/programs in the RC Feedback from attendees attending CJC classes are positive

13 Probation Districts Where our referrals come from

14 CJC Offenders Motivational / Victims Impact Classes Men s Prison - Lincoln Correctional Center Women Prison York Correctional Center Day Reporting Center Lincoln

15 Community Justice Center has a twelve year proven and effective program that 1. Reduces crime and lowers recidivism rates 2. Staff, Offenders, P/P & Institutional Benefits: - Offenders are easier to supervise - Offenders open to programming - Offenders receive fewer write ups - Habilitated Offenders 3. Low Cost/High Returns - $1.00 spent saves $ Communities are Safer & Tax Dollars are Saved

16 CJC Class Format & Referral Process Eight hour program Offender Motivational / Victim Impact Class A minimum of 3 outside assignments: 1. Letters of Harm (Apology) Not all letters kept on file! 2. Listening/Damage Reports - 10, 30 & 90 days Crime Victims Voices/Stories CJC Website 3. My Circle of Victims Referrals are received via or fax Lead Facilitator plus Co-Facilitator (Preferred) Class size 8 12 participants

17 CJC Class Curriculum 1. Restorative Justice (RJ): - Learn the Principles and Values behind RJ (introducing Harm) - Learn how RJ is a Victim Centered approach to crime 2. Crime Victim Awareness: - Learn the definitions of Direct and Indirect Crime Victims - Learn how people and communities are harmed because of crime Physically, Emotionally, and Financially (Short/Long Term) - Surrogate victim story postings from CJC website 3. Offenders Awareness (Accountability & Personal Responsibility): - Learn and apply emotional fluencies; processing feelings - Learn how to Eliminate Excuses and Justifications for their behaviors - Realization of becoming responsible for ones actions 4. Community Awareness - Learn/understand the complete cost of crime to their communities

18 Emotional Fluency THE SECRET!

19 CJC Outcomes Institutional Programming Incarcerated persons who completed CJC classes Released persons who completed CJC classes 50 - Returned to NE prisons between 1 st & 3 rd years of their release 7.66% 20 - Returned to NE prisons after their 3 rd year of their release 3.06% 70 - Total number of inmates who returned to NE prisons 10.72% CJC Ten Year Average 10.72%

20 Recidivism Within Three Years of Release United States, Nebraska, and CJC/NDCS Data Sources: U.S. Dept. of Justice Special Report 1994; NE Dept. Correctional Services, Community Justice Center

21 Estimated Cost Savings Tax Payers savings CJC inmates participants CJC Rate : 653 inmates Released x 8% x $34,000 = $ 1,776,160 Nebraska Rate: 653 inmates Released x 25% x $34,000 = - $ 5,550,500 CJC Estimated Savings $ 3,774,340 CJC Rate : 653 inmates Released x 8% x $34,000 = $ 1,776,160 National: 653 inmates Released x 50% x $34,000 = - $ 11,101,000 CJC Estimated Savings $ 9,324,840

22 CJC Outcomes Probation Programming Probationary persons completed CJC classes 37 Received New Misdemeanor Convictions 9.3% 93 Received New Class 1 Misdemeanor or Felony Convictions 23.4% 130 Total number of persons who reoffended on probation CJC Average 32.8%

23 Adult Probation Total Misdemeanor and Felony Convictions CJC Participants vs. Control Group 70% 66% 60% 50% 40% 30% 33% CJC Participants Control Group 20% 10% 0% CJC n = 396 * Control Group n = 170* *same comparable risk scores NCIC and NE Justice Verified

24 Adult Probation Felony and Class 1 Misdemeanor Convictions CJC Participants vs. Control Group 60% 50% 49% 40% 30% 23% CJC Participants Control Group 20% 10% 0% CJC n = 396 Control Group n = 170 NCIC and NE Justice Verified

25 Other cost savings: Police time Booking time Judge time Public Defender Jail-bed space LPD VWU time Prosecution time Jail-Meals Transportation cost Court cost Aid to families of victims/offenders (General Assistance) Medical/Mental Health cost

26 CJC s New Partnerships Dept. of Corrections, Virginia 4 classes at Cottonwood Max, Fairfax Probation/Parole and Sherwood Detention Facility Dept. of Corrections, Maryland 2 - pilot monthly classes in the Baltimore area for Parolee s and Probationers Dept. of Corrections, California 2 - pilot classes in prisons near Los Angles and San Francisco areas

27 CJC s Bottom Line 1. Safer Communities, Institutions and Saved Tax Dollars! 2. Low Cost/High Returns - $1.00 spent saves $ Reduced Recidivism Rates 4. Staff, Offenders, P / P and Institutional Benefits: - Offenders are easier to supervisor - Offenders receive fewer write ups - Offenders are open to additional programming - Habilitated offenders!

28 CJC Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Jim has earned my trust. He did exactly what he said he would do, and the organization he has built in the ensuing years is definitely an asset to our criminal justice system. Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady

29 Questions? WEBSITE: communityjusticecenter.org