Referral Programs
Referral programs are designed to assess the risks and needs of offenders and to make risk- and need-based referrals to supervision-based programs and rehabilitation programs.
Forensic Diversion programs
Forensic Diversion programstarget individuals who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness and/or a co-occurring substance use disorder. They work to divert offenders from jail, after arrest as well as at initial contact or before formal charges have been filed. Their main function is to refer offenders with mental health needs to appropriate community-based services, to limit justice system costs, and to reduce recidivism.
Resources:
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “Assessing the effectiveness of jail diversion programs for persons with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders”
- United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “What can we say about the effectiveness of jail diversion programs for people with co-occurring disorders?”
- Crime & Justice Institute, “Toward an Evidence-Based System of Reentry”
Problem-Solving Courts
Problem-Solving Courtscombine justice system case processing with substance abuse treatment. Substance abuse treatment is a phasic process that includes a series of interventions: (1) Detoxification, initial assessment, and alcohol and drug education compose the first stage called “stabilization”; (2) The intensive treatment stage entails individual or group counseling; (3) The transition phase involves services that are designed to foster offenders’ reintegration into the community.
Resources:
- Bureau of Justice Assistance, Center for Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement, “Drug courts”
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, “Defining drug courts: The key components”
- National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice: Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations for Juvenile Drug Courts
Reentry programs
Reentry programs seek to facilitate the social reintegration of inmates, by providing case management services that will help offenders acquire the life skills needed to succeed in the community. They include prerelease programs, drug rehabilitation, vocational training, and work programs. Reentry Courts are specialized courts that focus on improving public safety through the use of judicial oversight. They are responsible for: (1) ordering offenders to participate in various treatment and reintegration programs; (2) monitoring offenders’ compliance with the reentry plan; (3) reviewing offenders' reentry progress; (4) using graduated sanctions when offenders do not comply with reentry requirements; (5) and rewarding offenders’ pro-social behaviors.
Resources:
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Model Programs Guide: Reentry Court
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs: Reentry
- NIJ: Reentry Programs for Women Inmates
Community Transition programs
Community Transition programs are designed to assist inmates in returning to the community. They include supervision by probation or by a local community corrections program as well as referral to other services such as day reporting and mental health interventions that function to support successful re-entry.
Resources:
- U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections, “The Transition from Jail to Community (TJC) Initiative”
- U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections, “An overview of NIC’s Transition from Prison to the Community Initiative”
- Crime & Justice Institute, “Promoting public safety through successful community transition”
- Bureau of Justice Assistance, Urban Institute Justice Policy Center, “The jail administrator’s toolkit for reentry”
- IACCAC Community Transition Program Presentation 2009
- Task Assignment for CC and CTP
- CTP Brochure
Serious or Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Program
Serious or Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Program (SHOCAP) is “a comprehensive and cooperative information sharing and case management program” that targets juvenile offenders and works to enhance service coordination" (Department of Criminal Justice Services, 1999).
Resources:
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