(BOP) - On September 9 – 10, the Federal Bureau of Prisons in conjunction with the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) sponsored "The National Reentry Symposium: Promising Practices and Future Directions," shining a spotlight on innovative reentry services and practices throughout the country.
Approximately 140 participants from State Departments of Correction, local agencies, other stakeholders, and Bureau of Prisons staff came together at the National Corrections Academy in Aurora, Colorado, to further their commitment to reentry and to aiding offenders in their return to their communities. Forty one states were represented at the inaugural event.
Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Charles E. Samuels, Jr. and NIC Director Jim Cosby gave opening remarks, and Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillian Yates provided a video-taped message encouraging the attendees to think creatively about reentry efforts and how they can impact recidivism. The two-day Symposium provided an opportunity for agency directors, executives, and upper-level administrators to exchange information about proven and promising evidence-based reentry practices.
One of the goals of the Reentry Symposium was to form a Reentry Network, comprised of representatives from local, state and federal corrections, to promote the sharing of ideas and resources, peer interaction, and advancing reentry practices and services nationwide.
A panel of formerly incarcerated individuals shared their reentry experiences, and educational workshops provided information on topics including the role of education and employment, working with individuals with serious mental health conditions, accessing the Affordable Care Act, advancing organizational culture in supporting reentry practices, and veterans and reentry.
The National Reentry Symposium served as a forum for advancing reentry practices that are designed to reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Improved coordination among various stakeholders is a critical first step to enhancing the delivery of evidence-based programs and services to returning citizens nationwide.