Iowa's Juvenile Reentry Systems (JReS)

The Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program supports states, local governments, and tribal governments in partnership with interested persons (including Federal corrections and supervision agencies), service providers, and nonprofit organizations to provide comprehensive reentry services for moderate to high-risk youthful offenders before, during, and after release from confinement.

The Iowa Department of Human Rights will expand the work of the Juvenile Reentry Task Force (JRTF), which includes representation from a network of groups such as Juvenile Court Services, Iowa Aftercare Services Network, Iowa Workforce Development, Department of Education, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Department of Human Services, and other state and local partners. During the implementation of the JRTF strategic plan, additional gaps were identified for further development. Proposed plans to address these gaps will extend access of Iowa’s Juvenile Reentry System to all juvenile justice system youth returning to their communities from group care in several areas: state-level expansion of family team decision-making and youth transitions decision-making programs; effective family engagement strategies; intensive post-placement case management; and a uniform process for providing evidence-based services, tools, and practices. CA/NCF