MDFL Celebrates Reentry Week 2017
Successfully transitioning formerly incarcerated persons back into the community as productive citizens is a priority of Acting U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. During National Reentry Week, April 23-29, 2017, we wish to highlight the great work our reentry partners are doing throughout our District.
On April 27, 2017, eighteen individuals graduated from the Abe Brown Ministries - Ready4Work program. Community members, business owners, local government representatives, and staff from the USAO Tampa office attended the ceremony. Fox 13 Tampa Bay also highlighted the Abe Brown Ministries - Ready4Work program on-air this week.
Pinellas Ex-offender Reentry Coalition (PERC), held their monthly meeting on Thursday, April 27, 2017. PERC’s mission is to help offenders become and remain ex-offenders, reunite with family through advocacy, education, programming, and comprehensive service delivery and referral.
This week, staff from the U.S. Attorney’s Office participated in a Reentry Workshop hosted by the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) - Coleman.
The U.S. Attorney's Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative (CAGI) partners held their quarterly meeting in Tampa on April 27, 2017. The program’s objective is to reduce criminal gangs, violent crime, illegal drugs, and guns through combined enforcement, prosecution, prevention, and re-entry efforts.
Also during the month of April, FCC Coleman held their Quarterly Community Relations Board Meeting to share information about the implementation of the University of Florida’s Horticultural program at the complex and the program’s successful impact on recidivism. FCC Coleman also hosted a Mock Job Fair earlier this month. Inmates participated in mock interviews and were evaluated on their performance. Volunteers, including USAO staff members, gave the interviewees constructive feedback.
In Jacksonville, Operation New Hope continues to do groundbreaking reentry work. Recently, they launched the Jacksonville Port Academy where students will earn certifications and obtain valuable skills for employment within the Port Community. The goal of the Academy is to help bridge the gap between Port of Jacksonville employers and skilled potential employees. By providing in-demand skills training, identified by local business leaders, Operation New Hope is creating an employment-ready applicant pool. Operation New Hope's Fatherhood Initiative program recently celebrated another graduation. The goal of this initiative is to make the reunification of family possible and to provide financial and emotional stability for the children. More than 15 clients from the Inside Out Dad Program at Baker County Jail, Bridges of America, and the Dinsmore Work Release Center completed the program that touches on subjects including the importance of having a relationship with your children.
The U.S. Attorney's Office continues to participate in federal reentry court. Meetings convened this month in Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa.