Multnomah County Public Safety Planning Report

CJI has been working with Multnomah County, Oregon to develop a public safety plan designed to assist decision makers in building and maintaining the most balanced, effective, and cohesive public safety system possible within available resources. The resulting “Multnomah County Public Safety System Planning Report” is the result of a six-month study that brought together judges, police officers, prosecutors, parole officers, victims advocates, treatment providers and other public safety experts to identify gaps in the system and to prioritize investments that are most likely to reduce crime.

Click here to read Multnomah County’s Press Release (pdf)
Click here to read the full report (pdf)
Click here to read the Multnomah County State of the System report (pdf)

CORI: Opening Doors of Opportunity; A workforce and Public Safety Imperative

Authors: Claire Kaplan and Len Engel
Project Manager: Len Engel

The Crime and Justice Institute and the Boston Foundation convened a Task Force in June 2006, consisting of 14 leaders from the nonprofit, law enforcement, academic and business communities to kindle discussion and debate the barriers to employment for individuals with criminal records. Co-chaired by Betsy Pattullo, President and CEO of Beacon Health Strategies and Bob Gittens, Vice President of Public Affairs at Northeastern University, the task force went well beyond its original objective to identify opportunities that increase access to employment in the health and human service field for low-risk, qualified applicants with CORI, while continuing to protect vulnerable populations. This report makes a series of recommendations designed to improve criminal justice outcomes for the benefit of ex-offenders, communities, employers and to expand the skilled workforce in the Commonwealth.

The report was presented on May 10, 2007, at a Forum sponsored by the Boston Foundation and the Crime and Justice Institute and featured comments by the Secretary of Public Safety, a labor economist from Northeastern University and a panel of key stakeholders and policy makers before and audience of more than 200.

Read the full document (pdf)

Workforce Article Featured In Corrections Today

The February, 2007 edition of Corrections Today features an article co-authored by Meghan Howe, Elyse Clawson and John Larivee. The article, entitled "The 21st Century Juvenile Justice Workforce" is part of the publication's cover series, "The 21st Century Workforce." Corrections Today is the official publication of the American Correctional Association. Meghan Howe is a Senior Project Manager for the Crime and Justice Institute. Elyse Clawson is the Institute's Executive Director and John Larivee is Community Resources for Justice's Chief Executive Officer.

Read the full document (pdf)

From American Correctional Association’s website: www.aca.org/publications/ctmagazine.asp

Crime & Justice Institute Reentry Roundtables

The Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) completed a 15 month project on October 31, 2006, sponsored by the Executive Office of Public Safety (EOPS) that examined significant issues in offender reentry. Entitled the Crime & Justice Institute Reentry Roundtables, this project focused on three, distinct aspects of offender reentry, two of which culminated in large public events featuring moderated panels discussing the impact of offender reentry on high crime communities and the unique issues of female offenders in reentry. The third part of the project included original research on the hiring decisions of employers and a final report on the findings and recommendations of the Advisory Group.

Read the full document (pdf)

Below is a link to each section of the final report and a narrative of each component of the project.

Victims and Communities Impacted by Reentry: Perspectives on Offender Reentry
The residents of high-crime communities may or may not be the direct victims of crime, at least in the sense of qualifying for victim services, but they are victims of the criminality present in their neighborhoods. The communities in which they live are also where the majority of offenders return after incarceration. The residents of these communities must not only deal with the threats caused by the unending presence of criminality but must also bear the burden of absorbing the returning offenders; the previous victimizers. They have no control over the fact that the offender is returning and very little impact in the criminal justice process, including re-entry.

The opportunity to understand the complex issues of offender reentry and the impact on the communities to which they return with the goal of bringing key stakeholders together, led the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) to examine these issues and the innovative strategies involving community members in the reentry planning of the offenders. This effort culminated in a day-long roundtable discussion with a diverse group of people involved in one manner or another with reentry, victims and the community.

Read the Communities/Victim document (pdf)

Women and Reentry: Foundations for Success
Women compose a small but growing proportion of the correctional population in the United States as well as in Massachusetts. Because of their small numbers, female offenders are often subsumed under supervision structures, both in facilities and in the community, that were developed for male offenders. However, as the population continues to grow and the differing needs of female offenders become more apparent, policy and practice is slowly shifting to address these needs. Attention to research on gender differences and the application of evidence-based practices will benefit both women and men in the criminal justice system. CJI produced and hosted an event focused on the unique and complex issues of re-entering female offenders in Massachusetts. Experts from corrections, academia and the service provider community discussed the circumstances women face as they return to society and some of the programs that have been effective in moving women toward self-sufficiency.

Read the Women and Reentry document (pdf)

Employment of Ex-Offenders: Employer Perspectives For ex-offenders returning to the community after a period of incarceration, employment can make the difference between succeeding and returning to prison. Yet ex-offenders face significant barriers to employment, including employer attitudes toward individuals with criminal records, legal barriers, educational and financial obstacles, substance abuse and health issues, and lack of stable housing.

To gain a better understanding of employers’ views about hiring ex-offenders, the Crime and Justice Institute (CJI) conducted a review of the national research literature and held a series of focus groups with employers in the greater Boston area. The report presents a summary of findings and recommendations.

Read the Employment of Ex-Offenders document (pdf)

Criminal and Juvenile Justice Policy Briefing Book

Prepared by: Len Engel, Meghan Howe, Jennifer Fahey and Julie Finn

The Crime & Justice Institute is proud to present this Criminal and Juvenile Justice Policy Briefing Book as part of its effort to promote effective and efficient criminal justice policies in Massachusetts. This briefing book, sponsored by the Gardiner Howland Shaw Foundation, is being presented to Massachusetts political candidates who will impact criminal justice policy going forward. The Crime & Justice Institute (CJI) offers this document with the hope that criminal justice issues will be substantively discussed during this campaign season within the context of the important public interests they address.

Full report (pdf)

Foundations for Success: Meeting the Needs of Female Offenders Returning to Massachusetts Communities

May 2006

Authors: Kristin Collins, MPH and Meghan Howe, MPH

Women compose a small but growing proportion of the correctional population in the United States as well as in Massachusetts. Because of their small numbers, female offenders are often subsumed under supervision structures, both in facilities and in the community, that were developed for male offenders. However, as the population continues to grow and the differing needs of female offenders become more apparent, policy and practice is slowly shifting to address these needs. Attention to research on gender differences and the application of evidence-based practices will benefit both women and men in the criminal justice system.

Full Report (pdf)

Rethinking Justice in Massachusetts: Public Attitudes Toward Crime and Punishment
A public opinion study by the Crime and Justice Institute and Doble Research Associates

November 3, 2005

Authors: Cheryl Roberts and Elyse Clawson, Crime and Justice Institute
John Doble, Carol Selton, and Andrew Briker, Doble Research Associates

Full Report (pdf)

Because public opinion is an important factor in shaping criminal justice policy, the Crime and Justice Institute partnered with Doble Research Associates to conduct a nonpartisan public opinion study to explore the views of Massachusetts and Boston residents on a range of criminal justice policies. This study specifically sought to determine how much public support exists for evidence-based practices that criminal justice research has shown to be most effective in reducing criminal behavior. Over the past decade, mounting research has provided major advances in knowledge about how to reduce offenders’ likelihood of committing new crimes. The study also sought to identify areas where more public education and dialogue might be beneficial. Supported by a grant from the Boston Foundation, the study included telephone interviews with 748 randomly sampled Massachusetts adults.

CORI: Balancing Individual Rights and Public Access
May 18, 2005

Report (pdf)
Presentation by Elyse Clawson (pdf)

The Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) system was originally designed, in the early 1970s, to systematize access to offender record information for law enforcement use and to protect the privacy of ex-offenders. Thirty years later the system has expanded exponentially as the legislature has added more and more groups of people who can access CORI as well as those people and organizations required to access CORI prior to making a hiring or housing decision. In the past 15 years the number of users has risen from 2,000 to 10,000 people and organizations and the number of CORI reports processed annually has risen from 400,000 in 1998 to 1.5 million today.

This white paper summarizes the history of the CORI system and the key moments leading to the current situation. It also examines the problems experienced by various people and identifies and explores a handful of ideas for reforming the system. The process that led to the creation of the white paper involved meetings and interviews with dozens of stakeholders, including ex-offenders and advocates, agency and system officials, elected officials and employers. The white paper was delivered at a forum on May 18, 2005 sponsored by The Boston Foundation that brought together many of the stakeholders involved and more than 200 others with some interest in the CORI system.

From Incarceration to Community: A Roadmap to Improving Prisoner Reentry and System Accountability in Massachusetts

Prepared by Ginger Martin and Cheryl Roberts

June 3, 2004

Full Report (pdf)
Executive Summary (pdf)

With the tremendous growth in incarceration in Massachusetts, inmates are returning to communities in record numbers. More than 20,000 prison and jail inmates are released to Massachusetts’ towns and cities each year. Policymakers have become increasingly concerned with how the corrections system should manage the reentry process to best protect the public and how communities can absorb and reintegrate returning prisoners. The entire reentry process must be strengthened. This report provides a roadmap for prisoner reentry in Massachusetts, drawing from the national research literature of evidence-based practices and interviews with experts, officials, practitioners, and community-based service providers. It addresses areas of policy that have a significant effect on reentry, from sentencing through post-release follow-up, with particular focus on the roles of the state prison system, houses of corrections, and parole.

Using an Integrated Model to Implement Evidence-based Practices in Corrections
What Works and Why: Effective Approaches to Reentry. (2005)

This essay presents an integrated implementation model that encourages corrections leaders to focus equally on evidence-based practices, organizational development, and collaboration.

No Place Like Home: Housing and the Ex-prisoner
Katharine H. Bradley, R.B. Michael Oliver, Noel C. Richardson, Elspeth M. Slayter November 2001

For the prisoner who is reentering society, the search for sustainable, permanent housing is a challenge that portends success or failure for the entire reintegration process. Housing facilitates continuity in substance abuse and/or mental health treatment. Employment is often contingent upon stable housing. This report assesses the housing options for ex-prisoners - from the private market to public housing to homelessness. A snapshot survey of women and men preparing for reentry as well as policy recommendations are included.

The Role of Parole
Katharine H. Bradley and R.B. Michel Oliver
July 2001

The role that parole plays in criminal justice is hotly debated. Some states have dismantled their Parole Boards, while others have undertaken the painstaking work of revamping the system, replete with new parole revocation guidelines. This policy brief examines the current state statute and release criteria governing the Massachusetts Parole Board's decision-making process, plus parole trends over the last decade, Board membership, the impasse created by parole criteria and classification practices, and the role of parole in maintaining public safety.

Returning Inmates: Closing the Public Safety Gap
John J. Larivee
January 2001