THE NEED
In Cabarrus County, 49.8% of former inmates are rearrested within 3 years of release. The North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Commission also states 35.9% are re-incarcerated within three years. Reintegration can be a very difficult process. Men, women, and youth return to their communities without homes, jobs, or high school diplomas.
CRI Featured in an Independent Tribune Article July 16,2007
Three primary reasons for these problems are:
- 87% of offenders returning to our county need employment (including soft skills training)
- 86% will return with no type of supervision or accountability
- 71% will need residential substance abuse treatment (according to Department of Correction Research and Planning)
Far too often they are without treatment options for mental and physical health problems or for alcohol and substance abuse problems. They are without support networks, connections to training programs, Faith-Based assistance, or other resources that can be critical to their success.
Preparing ex-offenders for successful reentry into their families, communities, and the labor market demands a distinct set of resources, training, and partnerships specifically designed to meet the population's unique needs.
THE PROJECT
Cabarrus Reentry Initiative takes a proactive approach to dealing with the problems ex-offenders face in reentry. CRI provides assessments, counseling, and assistance in both the pre-release and post-release process.
CRI addresses critical needs of ex-offenders through the continued development and study of effective reentry programming with committed partnerships. CRI identifies methods and strategies through which the outcomes of ex-offenders and their families can be improved thereby helping to reduce crime and recidivism in Cabarrus County.
Our 12 community partners help by providing needed reentry services and programs, including our Faith-Based partner, Higher Level Missions, which offers effective residential transitional housing for qualified ex-offenders.
The structure provided through CRI provides invaluable assistance in moving forward addressing their needs such as literacy, education, job skills, and accountability for their lives. CRI will also serve as an initial step to reunification and possibly positive, cohesive family relationship being established or re-established.
THE PARTNERS
The 12 networking partners of the Cabarrus Reentry Initiative are committed to providing needed services for ex-offenders and their families that created a seamless strategy of reentry.
A list of our partners includes:
- Higher Level Missions
- Cabarrus Literacy Council
- Project Safe Cabarrus
- Centralina Workforce Development/Employment Security Commission
- Vocational Rehabilitation
- Cabarrus Correctional Center
- Piedmont Behavioral Health
- Daymark Recovery Services
- Department of Social Services
- Rowan Cabarrus Community College
- Community Care Plan
- Department of Community Correction
Cabarrus Reentry Initiative
MISSION STATEMENTTo effectively reduce recidivism rates of men and women returning to Cabarrus County from Federal, state, and local jails by providing an administrative and operational system inclusive of industry Best Practices through which useful and efficient reintegration services are delivered resulting in the successful transition of individuals.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Cabarrus Reentry Initiative
Located at Employment Security Commission of North Carolina
2275 Kannapolis Highway
Concord, North Carolina 28027
Rev Aaron Wells, Executive Director
Higher Level Missions Inc
Program Director
704-938-5237
email:hlm@acninc.net
Michael York, Assistant Director
Higher Level Missions Inc
Assistant Director
704-938-5237
email:ymw02@aol.com
Rick Brown, Program Coordinator
Cabarrus Reentry Initiative
Case Manager
704-786-3186
email:ricky.brown@ncmail.net