Re-entry Partnership May 19, 2007
Posted by FairSentencing in : Current News , trackbackGary was getting out after 28 years- over half his life- behind bards. He had not relatives, no friends, no job and nowhere to live. From his prison counselor’s office he called the DOC Re-entry Chaplain. Three phone calls later Gary had housing, job training and a community of supporter ready to receive him upon release.
How did this happen? It happened because of Home for Good in Oregon: A Corrections, Community and Faith-Based Re-entry Partnership (HGO). HGO is a statewide network of community and faith-based individuals and organizations committed to “building strong communities for the successful reintegration of offenders.”
We know from research that having non-criminal or pro-social friends and associates and non-criminal or pro-social attitudes, values and beliefs are two of the most important factors that help offenders to successfully reintegrate upon their release. Based on this research HGO provides releasing offenders with opportunities to develop a pro-social support system for their release as well as a strong set of pro-social attitudes, beliefs and values. Recently the American Correctional Chaplains Association gave its 2005 annual national award for religious program excellence to Oregon’s HGO re-entry partnership.
HGO has created a model re-entry program that is structured on three organizational and programmatic building blocks that are described below. In each of these three blocks there are opportunities for volunteers to help reduce Oregon’s rate of recidivism and make Oregon’s communities both safer and more compassionate.
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