criminal

Sustain offenders’ use of government assistance programs. Offender Reentry Plan March 2011 Page 16 of 28 Appendix A: King County Jail Population As seen in Table 3, the large majority of inmates in KCCF are male, comprising 87 percent of the jail population. At 36 percent of the inmate population and only 6 percent of […]

Provide access to effective mental health, chemical dependency, and primary care services for inmates before and after their release from jail. Offender Reentry Plan March 2011 Page 15 of 28 Screen inmates for eligibility for TANF, Medicaid, SSI, food stamps and veteran benefits. Train transition support personnel on federal and state benefit guidelines. Provide inmates

Provide culturally appropriate and holistic community treatment. Increase capacity of jail- based mental health treatment. Route inmates with mental illness to the most appropriate and effective services. Objectives Strategies Proposed Activities Ensure that criminal history does not impede individuals’ access to community mental health or RSN services. Provide individualized support to inmates with mental illness

Improve rates of self-sufficient employment for individuals leaving jail. Offender Reentry Plan March 2011 Page 14 of 28 Build capacity of mental health courts to direct more individuals with mental illness from jail to more appropriate interventions. Assess individual mental health needs of inmates using and evidence-based tool. Collaborate with RSN* agencies to provide individual

Implementation Schedule The execution of all of the proposed goals within the Offender Reentry Plan will create a comprehensive and coordinated reentry system in King County. The degree and speed with which this region can achieve this system will depend on funding availability. With the support of the Offender Reentry Taskforce, King County will actively

Offender Reentry Task Force The Offender Reentry Plan includes the implementation of a Reentry Task Force. The task force would consist of a diverse group of agencies throughout the region, including representatives from: Offender Reentry Plan March 2011 Page 8 of 28 • Law enforcement – King County Sheriff’s office and local police departments •

Disconnect from Resources Many jail inmates are resource poor and living near or below the poverty line. Accordingly, many of them receive or are eligible for assistance from government programs, including social security, supplemental security income, workers compensation and veteran benefits. However, these benefits are terminated for inmates depending upon their length of incarceration. This

Equity and Social Justice According to the national Dellums Report (2006), young men of color are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. The report found that young men of color face many more social and institutional obstacles in American society than any other demographic group. King County Council unanimously passed Ordinance 2010-0509, “establishing definitions

Homelessness An estimated 8,800 King County residents are homeless each night. Mental illness, chemical dependency, or both are common problems among these individuals. In 1998, a study by King County estimated that homeless individuals enrolled in mental health services were 400% more likely to be incarcerated than housed individuals receiving the same services (King County

Employment & Education Employment and higher wages are both negatively associated with rates of recidivism (Economic Policy Institute, 2000). Employment provides income for basic needs, structures daily life, reduces the temptation to use drugs or engage in criminal activity, and diminishes the pressure to earn money through illegal means (Freudenberg, 2006). Nationally, only 66% of