HAMPDEN COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT’S
AFTER INCARCERATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS PROGRAM (AISS)
WHAT IS THE AFTER INCARCERATION SUPPORT SYSTEMS
PROGRAM?
The After Incarceration
Support Systems Program (AISS) is designed to educate, prepare and assist the
releasing inmate population with transitioning back into the community. Key
components include 1) Working with the inmate within the correctional center,
prior to release; and 2) Working with the offender post-release in the
community with an emphasis on a continuum of services. The ultimate goal of the
AISS relationship with the offender is to have a direct impact on the reduction
of recidivism and an increase in public safety.
The After Incarceration
Support System’s Program had its inception in August of 1996. At that time, AISS was located at the old
York Street Jail and consisted of 4 staff.
In 1996, the program served a total of 234 ex-offenders.
Since then, AISS has grown
by leaps and bounds. In December of 2007, the AISS program moved to the WW
Johnson Life Center, located at 736 State Street. AISS now has 20 available
staff, and in 2007 was able to serve over 799 ex-offenders in our community
component alone. Never static, this program is always actively evolving to
better meet the challenges of offender re-entry as a vital area of impact on
public safety.
Inmates (as well as staff)
are encouraged to utilize the Resource Room, which is located in the Program
Building of the Hampden County Correctional Center. The Resource Room has open
hours each week and is staffed by a Reintegration Counselor for assistance.
The Resource Room contains
hundreds of brochures in both English and Spanish. The brochures are from
numerous agencies regarding services they provide in the community. Some of the
services emphasized include residential programs, clothing / food assistance,
vocational training, parenting, substance abuse programs, mental health
services, etc. There is also
information available related to AA and NA meetings held locally in Hampden
County.
For staff assistance in
seeking programs to meet the offender’s needs upon release, there is a
Computerized Resource Directory. This directory allows users to find detailed
information on hundreds of agencies, the services they provide, as well as how
the offender can access such services. Agencies are categorized by zip code
specific to where an inmate may be released. Upon inputting said zip code, all
agencies in that area will be displayed. Finally, the directory will allow the
user to enter the inmate’s needs (food, shelter, counseling) and the directory
will list all agencies that will meet that need.
Of note, the Resource Room
also provides Reference Information Books including: First Call Books, Resource
Catalogs, and Halfway House listings.
Release Planning Groups (RP
I and RP II) are facilitated for inmates who have 90 days or less remaining on
their sentences. These groups take place over a two-week period and during the
Release Planning process, inmates are educated on the AISS program. They are
informed of the assistance we can provide in the community and how to access
our program when they are released from custody.
An inmate’s Release Plan is
developed based on a questionnaire they are required to complete. The questions
reflect areas that highlight both needs and goals the offender may have (self
assessment). From their answers, as well as recommendations from the inmate’s
primary correctional counselor, forensics, vocation and education departments,
the Release Planning Coordinator then puts a thorough plan together. Some areas addressed on a Release Plan
include employment, housing, education, substance abuse, support groups, mental
health / health services, etc.
During the final phase of
release planning (RPII), each offender has an opportunity to review his Release
Plan and meet with a community staff member from AISS.
In addition to the Release
Planning Groups, AISS staff also presents groups on various housing units to
make a connection with the offenders. These groups take place on the Accountability
Pod, Responsibility Pod (Pre-Trial), as well as the Short Term Pod. We provide
every offender the opportunity to leave the Correctional Center with a release
plan that is specifically designed to address the needs for which they were
incarcerated. They are further encouraged to contact the AISS program upon
their release.
In October 2007, the Hampden
County Sheriff’s Department started a new initiative by creating a Re-Entry
Unit for offenders who were close to release (45 days or less) and would not be
eligible to complete their sentence in a lower security setting. The AISS
program took on a large role by assigning each offender housed on the Re-Entry
Unit an AISS counselor who would work intensively with them to address case
management issues related to their individual release plan. In addition, AISS
provides a housing specialist and job developer to work one day a week on the
Re-Entry Unit. Finally, offenders are released with an appointment to meet with
their primary AISS counselor in the community, within 48 hours of their release
from custody.
AISS IN THE WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS WOMEN'S CORRECTIONAL CENTER
During there first five
weeks of incarceration, the women at WMWCC are introduced to a program called
Discovery, focusing on the concept that release planning starts on day one of
incarceration. AISS staff presents a group to the women encouraging the
development of a release plan and the need for them to utilize their
Correctional Counselors to assist them with such. The women inmates are also
educated on the After Incarceration Support Services program and how to
utilizes services upon their release.
Women inmates also actively
participate in the Release Planning I and II groups 90 days prior to their
release. RP I and RP II are facilitated every second and third Thursday of each
month to ensure that every woman has an opportunity to attend. RPI group allows
women to fill out their own needs assessment form along with dialogue with
staff as to what they feel may be obstacles when they enter back into the
community. AISS staff utilizes these questionnaires, case notes, and feedback
from education, medical, and forensics, if applicable, to develop a final
release plan that will be reviewed at the RP II group. On every plan, an
offender is assigned an AISS Counselor to contact once released.
The After Incarceration
Support Systems Program assists ex-offenders in all aspects of their lives as
they transition from incarceration into the community. The majority of the
offenders that we work with are faced with many issues ranging from addiction,
mental health, lack of identifying documents, employment obstacles, financial
concerns, limited education, poor (or none) housing situations, etc. They also
cope with a lack of familial support, poor self-esteem, fear of failure, and a
constant temptation to return to the criminal lifestyle.
In order to meet the needs
of the ex-offender population, there are many ways AISS provides services. They
are as follows:
New
to the WW Johnson Life Center is the AISS Community Connections. The Community
Connections occurs every Thursday morning and offers “one stop shopping” to
meet the needs of the ex-offender who may not be able to make an appointment
with AISS any other time of the week. The individual will complete an intake
and be assigned a primary AISS counselor at that time. The Community
Connections is set up with AISS program specialists, as well as various human service
agencies that represent housing, education, employment opportunities, and
health services.
AISS In the Community Offers…..
* Advocacy *Relationship
Building *Decision Making Skills
* Mentoring *Role
Modeling *Coping Skills
* Crisis
Intervention *Networking *Case Management
*Accountability *Support Groups *Linkage & Referrals
*Intensive
Outreach *Support *Education
Over 6,356 ex-offenders have actively participated in and received services
from AISS since the
program’s inception in 1996.
Since October 2006, one AISS
staff member has been assigned to work with offender’s who are deemed “high
risk.” The Hampden County Sheriff’s
Department has created an on-going list of inmates deemed to be high risk,
based on their charges, criminal history and institutional behavior. This list
is inclusive of every inmate that has been convicted of any type of gun charge.
While incarcerated the High
Risk Release Planning Specialist will meet with the inmate to coordinate a
release plan, based on the individuals needs. He will also schedule an
appointment with the inmate to take place in the community within 48 hours of
his release from custody. This population has been a challenge, although the
statistics demonstrate that 50% of these offenders did follow-up with AISS in
the community.
The AISS Graduation /
Recognition Ceremony takes place every fall and has been traditionally held at
the local Greek Cultural Center. The event allows the AISS participants to be
recognized for all their efforts in taking positive steps to living a
productive lifestyle free of criminal thinking and behaviors.
AISS actively participates
in and sets up an informational booth at the annual “ex-offender” job fair held
at Springfield Technical Community College. AISS provides Informational
pamphlets, as well as answer any questions related to our program and services
rendered.
If you would like any
additional information about AISS, you can contact Assistant Deputy
Superintendent Jennifer Sordi