"Face to Face" Meeting with Returning Citizens as Part of National Reentry Week

Flint, MI - The Department of Justice has designated the week of April 24-30, 2016, as National Reentry Week.  Supporting successful reentry is an essential part of the Department’s mission to promote public safety – because helping individuals return to productive, law-aiding lives can reduce the rate of recidivism. 

In recognition of Reentry Week, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Michigan Department of Corrections and the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office has scheduled a “Face to Face" meeting to take place on April 26, 2016, between law enforcement and parolees.  The educational meeting is a collaborative effort designed to prevent recidivism among the offender population. 

Face-to-Face provides offenders with information about the consequences of committing new gun crimes, which includes stiff federal sentences with no chance of parole and prisons in distant locations.  The program also provides information about opportunities, such as education, job training, drug treatment, and employment from wrap around service organizations. 

Each year, more than 13,000 citizens return from prison to their communities in Michigan.  Statistics show that about one-third of them will reoffend. Offenders identify joblessness as their biggest barrier to success, and research shows that unemployment and crime go hand-in-hand. Sending returning citizens back to their communities with no ability to get a job is a recipe for recidivism and a costly mistake.  Taxpayers pay about $34,000 a year to incarcerate a single prisoner.  Rather than watching returning citizens go back to prison through the revolving door, it makes fiscal sense to invest in helping them find jobs.

“We are taking a targeted approach to reducing crime by telling offenders about of the consequences of committing new crimes and about the support services that are available to help them succeed outside of prison,” stated United States Attorney Barbara McQuade.

Media is welcome to attend the meeting which will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the City Hall Dome, located on the grounds of the City of Flint Municipal Service Campus, 1101 S. Saginaw Street, Flint, MI.  Immediately following the meeting U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade and ATF Special Agent in Charge Robin Shoemaker will hold a media availability. The Dome is located on E. 7th St, just east of S. Saginaw Street.  Parking is accessible off 7^th street.

For more information, please contact Gina Balaya at (313) 226-9758 or Robert Poikey at (313) 226-9120.

GUIDELINES:

PHOTOGRAPHERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SHOOT THE FACES OF PAROLEES OR PROBATIONERS, ONLY THE FACES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE BACKS OF HEADS OF THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS.  REPORTERS MAY CONDUCT INTERVIEWS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ONLY AND WILL NOT IDENTIFY PAROLEES OR PROBATIONERS IN PRINT, INTERNET OR BROADCAST MEDIA.