Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2012, $194,019)
The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of incarcerated adults and juveniles who are released from jails, prisons, and juvenile residential facilities and are returning to communities. This program helps ensure that the transition the youth make from a secure juvenile residential facility to the community is successful and promotes public safety. A secure juvenile residential facility may include a juvenile detention center, juvenile correctional facility, or staff-secure facility. Juveniles must have been confined under juvenile court jurisdiction to be eligible under this initiative. This program is authorized by 42 USC 3797w and Public Law 110-199.
North Dakota's reentry demonstration program will enhance services for juvenile offenders returning to the Bismarck-Mandan
community after a residential or correctional placement. Reentry services are coordinated by the custodial agency, the ND Division of Juvenile Services, and begin prior to release. Youth are assigned a Juvenile Corrections Specialist that supervises the case and guides the reentry process, including planning for transition as soon as the youth has been placed. Upon reentry, the Corrections Specialist continues case management and plans for supportive services. Reentry program services are provided based on a risk/needs assessment and include substance abuse treatment and aftercare, and community supportive services such as transitional housing, independent living education, individual and family counseling, educational support, and employment assistance. These services are combined with existing services to provide a full continuum to support successful community reentry. Almost half of the youth in the current reentry program had committed felony acts and the other half misdemeanor acts. The vast majority of the participants were assessed with substance abuse issues. Nearly half were assessed with mental health issues and approximately one quarter were assessed with housing issues.
CA/NCF