Workforce Strategies for Reintegration

The study:

Policy for Rights. (April 2012). "Results-Based Public Policy Strategies For Promoting Workforce Strategies for Reintegrating Ex-Offenders".  Center for the Study of Social Policy.

explores the important for strategies for workforce to prevent recidivism in exoffendors.  It explores strategies that seem effective and beneficial.  It also provides statistics for the rates of recidivism for each state for the years of 2004-07. 

Beginning Literature Review

This article is a national review from the Correctional Research Service on the topic we are studying titled: "Offender Reentry: Correctional Statistics, Reintegration into the Community, and Recidivism." The article provides both qualitative and quantitative data on reintegration of the prison population into society and in addition the recidivism (re-admittance of prior prisoners) rates and other qualitative information. 

http://www.nationalcia.org/wp-content/uploads/Correctional-Statistics-Reintegration-into-the-Community.pdf

This article is a compilation of resources currently used to help with prisoner reintegration.

http://www.doleta.gov/rexo/pdf/prisoner_reentry_resources.pdf

Answers for last weeks Questions

What additional information would I like to know?
Does socioeconomic status, level of education, and family support effect the rate of recidivism?

Where could I acquire/secure this information?
Department of corrections, through interviews, research, focus groups.

How can I acquire this information?
Conducting surveys, reviewing peer review journals, and facilitating focus groups. 

Interview Contacts

As I described our project focus to my practicum supervisor, I learned I could interview members of our target population who are involved with the forensics section of Valley Behavioral Health.  I was excited to have his help in setting this up.  I am also looking for research literature that describes the population negatively impacted by our social problem.

Assignment

I have been assigned to do research on how the living conditions or circumstances of individuals with substance abuse issues are negatively impacted by substance abuse. I will also come up with two questions for our set of interview questions.

Meeting with UDOC

I have been assigned to do research and meet with UDOC officials to obtain both quantitative data in regards to success outcomes of offenders released from jail and prison. As well as comparing The difference in success in reintegration between populations leaving jail and leaving prison.

Group Meeting

We decided our main line of focus for sure is barriers to reintegration into society for adult substance abuse offenders following prison or jail in the Utah and Salt Lake Counties.  What prevents individuals from staying out of the system following completion of the program.

Each individual was assigned to find articles, support on certain topics that will fulfill the needs of developing our project paper.

I was assigned to find information about and generate two questions for target population around: contributing factors and to contribute to information about areas negatively impacted by the social issue/problem.

Article

I found an article titled, Prison-based substance abuse treatment, residential aftercare and recidivism.   The results of this study found that in-prison therapeutic community treatment, especially when followed by residential aftercare, was effective for reducing post-release recidivism rates.

Journal Article

I found an article titled "Barriers to Recovery and Recommendations for Change: The Pennsylvania Consensus Conference on Psychiatry's Role," by Joseph A Rogers et al and published in Psychiatric Services.  While the article doesn't deal specifically with the barriers individual's in recovery face upon completion of their programs or therapy, it does talk about the role psychiatrists play in recovery, what their particular barriers are, and how they can be more effective in treating addiction.  The themes in the article certainly play well into our examination of recovery populations and the obstacles they face.

Article

I found an article called "Young adults, social networks, and addiction recovery: post treatment changes in social ties and their role as a mediator of 12-step participation".

It discusses how keeping the same social influences make recovery harder so people who are in recovery need to find social ties with people who don't use or are also trying to get clean.

Additional Agency Possibilities

Last week I talked with my husband who has provided IT services for Odyssey House and House of Hope to see if he still had contact with them.  He knows the directors and we can contact them if other avenues don't pan out.  I shared this with the group but forgot to post it.  I'll do a little research over fall break...

Dept. Of Corrections

I have been working with the Utah Department of Corrections, where I currently intern, to figure out a system that we can use to survey their population. We want to contact multiple different addicts who are now in the corrections system and figure out what they feel they need and want to help them stay clean after they graduate the Adult Probation and Parole outpatient program. At the prison they call this "Continuing Care." We are also going to look at what the state is currently doing there to see if that is transferable to the Probation system as well.

Research Article

I found an interesting research article that discusses factors that relate to recovery and relapse following treatment.

Duffy, Paul & Helen Baldwin. (2013). "Recovery post treatment: plans, barriers, and motivators." Duffy and Baldwin Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy.

Research

After meeting together this week and getting back on track, I will try to find some articles during fall break that give a general idea of the barriers facing people post-substance abuse treatment. I will look for general information on this topic and post back on the blog next week what I find.

Group Meeting 10/07/14

Today we met to refocus our energy and approach.  Our new approach is the issues of reintegration faced by individuals of the Utah Valley Probation System.  Matt will meet with his practicum to discuss working with them as an avenue.  All other individuals of the group will work on gathering information about discharge planning and issues addicts face with reintegration. 

Getting Back on Track

After discovering last week that we had jumped the gun on bit on our project and were headed in the wrong direction slightly, we are getting back on track.  Chyrese contacted an agency that looks promising.  And after chatting with some folks on our old path, it seems best to leave Chateau behind and focus on Sandy Counseling.  I also spoke with Matt on the phone to update him on our new plan and the problems with our old plan after class on Tuesday.

Sandy Counseling

I was able to speak with my boss today and she said it would be fine to talk to the people in the substance abuse program at my work. I will email her and get further details from her on what we would need to do to make this happen.