Baltimore’s Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Felix Mata, Project Manager, Baltimore’s Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force, 417 E. Fayette St., 4th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202

Prisoner Reentry in the United States

1977 *1998 *2000 *2001

Admissions 163,203 617,387 628,375 639,569

Releases 147,895 561,020 608,096 630,207

Source: The Urban Institute. 2004. Based on BJS National Prisoner Statistics .

Baltimore City and Reentry • Baltimore City receives 59% of state releasees

• 30% of ex-inmates return to six communities in Baltimore:

1. Southwest Baltimore

2. Greater Rosemont

3. Sandtown-Winchester/Harlem Park

4. Greenmount East

5. Clifton-Berea

6. Southern Park Heights

close to 9,000 annually 51% of inmates recidivate within 3 years of release

SW

Sandtown

Clifton

Rosemont

Park Heights

Greenmount

20,000 individuals under mandatory supervision for Parole and Probation

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Prisoner Reentry in (West) Baltimore

Demographics: Typical Ex-Offender Returning to Baltimore

• is African-American (90%)

Typical ex-offender in Baltimore :

• is Male (90%)

• is between the ages of 20 and 40, with a median age of 33

• has little more than a 6th grade education level

A profile of the typical ex-offender returning to Baltimore:

John Doe has just been released from prison at the Baltimore Metropolitan Transition Center (MTC) with $40. He has no identification, no high school diploma/GED, owes $8,000 in child support for two children, no transportation, no medication to manage his mental illness, has no place to stay, cannot find legitimate employment, but wants to turn his life around.

Baltimore’s Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

• Mayor Martin O’Malley’s concerns over the needs of both employment and public safety helped to catalyze the Ex-Offender Task Force (EOTF), which was created in October 2002.

• Over the course of ten months the EOTF membership grew to over 100 partners, including government agencies, nonprofit and community-based service providers, major foundations, advocacy groups and faith leaders.

• EOTF members agreed that a comprehensive action plan was needed to assist the ex-offender population.

• Prior to this there was a lack of coordinated effort.

Key Findings of the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

• Inadequate resources exist for ex-offenders. The challenge is more that obtaining employment.

• Minimal coordination exists among agencies and service organizations.

• Greater advocacy is needed.

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Education

Begin occupational training early and throughout incarceration.

Begin basic literacy and GED classes early and continue them throughout the period of incarceration.

Housing

Increase the number of transitional housing slots available in the City to accommodate the ex-offender population.

Health

Increase the substance abuse, mental health and health treatment services available to inmates and ex-offenders.

Address the attitudinal and personal issues of ex-offenders before and during transition.

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Transitional Services

Develop, expand and formalize the referral process from the DPSCS to employment and training providers serving ex-offenders.

Coordinate efforts with DPSCS to ensure that existing procedures are followed so that ex-offenders can secure proper identification.

Create a Discharge Plan for inmates, to include appropriate identification documentation as well as referral information regarding available resources.

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Transitional Services

Expand successful programs that provide transitional housing, mentoring, job skills upgrades and job placement services.

Increase the marketable skills of ex-offenders by providing the opportunity for training through One-Stop Career Centers and other service providers.

Consolidate existing resources that are presently housed separately, and create a One-Stop Center for ex-offenders that provides a full menu of services, with an emphasis on employment.

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Transitional Services

Expand the Northwest One-Stop Career Center/Parole and Probation model to other MOED One-Stops.

Increase the number of work release programs to assist low-risk, incarcerated individuals in getting the skills necessary to sustain long-term employment after release.

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Transitional Services

Promote employer engagement and expand the employer base to create more job opportunities for ex-offenders.

Make legal assistance available to ex-offenders seeking to expunge their misdemeanor records.

Develop a reintegration plan that taps the expertise of community- and faith-based organizations to provide behavior modification for returning offenders.

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Data Exchange

Create a catalog, in a web-based system, outlining available resources and programs serving ex-offenders throughout the City.

Create a user-friendly web page that links ex-offender service providers to MOED’s web site and interfaces with the United Way’s First Call for Help and Maryland’s 2-1-1 systems. Create a systematic approach to collecting usable data that validates return on investment in service areas to be identified and evaluated based on input from the Steering Committee.

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Capacity Building

Formalize a process by which the providers and other organizations come together to exchange information.

Create a community- and faith-based mentorship program for ex-offenders.

Build capacity for organizations currently serving ex-offenders via (no cost) training to be provided by the Maryland Institute for Employment Training Professionals (MIETP).

Recommendations by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Child Support

Promote Legislation that allows for the suspension of child support obligations during the period of incarceration.

Expungement

Promote the possibility of expunging misdemeanor charges. Employment

Promote legislation to increase funding for the City to increase front-end work release programs for low-risk incarcerated individuals.

Promote the employment of ex-offenders in municipal jobs.

Positive Outcomes of the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

• U.S. Dept. of Justice/Offender Workforce Development Training

• Northwest Career Center/Parole & Probation Project

• Ex-Offender Change Agent

The key accomplishment was the creation of a report that suggests a blueprint to strategically plan and carry out the recommendations made by the Task Force.

Informal coordination brought value and cooperative planning.

Positive Outcomes by the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

• Ex-Offender Employment Fairs

• Employer Appreciation Breakfasts

• Advocacy and Legislation

• City participation with DPSCS’s “Exit Orientations”

Phase II of the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

• A governance and organizational structure will be defined by a Mayoral appointed Steering Committee.

• The committee will meet regularly to define and formulate objectives, operationalize goals, objectives and action agenda of each recommendation.

Mayor

Steering Committee

Baltimore’s Ex-Offender Coalition

Employment Housing AdvocacySupport Services Survey

Faith -Based

Phase II of the Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

• The Steering Committee will additionally create a roll out plan and produce periodic reports detailing progress in key areas for review by City and State officials and other stakeholders.

• The Steering Committee will act as the direct conduit for conversation and dialogue with the Mayor.

• The Steering Committee currently has 31 appointed members.

Baltimore’s Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force

Felix Mata, Project Manager, Baltimore’s Citywide Ex-Offender Task Force, 417 E. Fayette St., 4th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202