Spotlight Announcements

9/20/2005: Jail-Based Recommendations and Programs in the Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council

Most of the policy statements and specific recommendations in the Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council are equally pertinent to both prisons and jails. In fact, Parts I (Planning a Reentry Initiative) and III (Elements of Effective Health and Social Service Systems) of the Report deal with important aspects of reentry that are relatively independent of the type of facility from which a re-entering individual is released.

9/20/2005: Illinois Launches New Reentry Commission

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich announced last week the formation of a new Community Safety and Reentry Commission to address recidivism and strengthen reentry management is that state. The 28 member commission, to be chaired by the Reverend Jesse Jackson and an Illinois State's Attorney, will focus on increasing opportunities for successful reentry, removing reentry barriers, and developing cost effective crime prevention and community safety strategies.

9/20/2005: Department of Labor Convenes Meetings to Detail Prisoner Reentry Initiative

The Department of Labor (DOL) is sponsoring three informational meetings across the country for potential applicants for recently announced DOL funding available under the federal Prisoner Reentry Initiative. The meetings will present detailed information on the program design and application requirements, and answer questions from the field.

9/20/2005: Grants.gov: Clearinghouse Makes Federal Funding Opportunities Available Online

Grants from 26 federal agencies-including the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)-are now available at Grants.gov, a recently-launched online clearinghouse. Grants.gov, a federal cross-agency e-initiative, allows visitors to search, view, download, and submit grant applications for over 900 grant opportunities that total over $360 billion. Grants are available for state and local governments, research institutions, non-profit organizations and other entities. Several potentially reentry related

9/20/2005: International Association of Reentry Holds Inaugural Summit

The inaugural summit of the International Association of Reentry (IAR), held March 13-16 in Columbus, Ohio, laid a foundation for future projects to advance knowledge and competency in the field of reentry. Over 480 people attended the conference and participated in plenary sessions exploring various aspects of reentry, as well as a range of action-oriented committees.

9/20/2005: CSG Convenes Forum on Federal Benefits

The Council of State Governments (CSG), coordinator of the Reentry Policy Council, in collaboration with the TAPA Center for Jail Diversion, recently convened a forum on ensuring prompt access to benefits for eligible individuals with mental illness who are released from prison. The forum, supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the Department of Justice, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), was attended by a select group of high-level state officials including directors of correction and mental health departments as well as representatives from SAMHSA, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and the Social Security Administration (SSA).