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Reentry

 

Reentry programs and reentry courts are designed to help returning citizens successfully "reenter" society following their incarceration, thereby reducing recidivism, improving public safety, and saving money.

A primary focus of our reentry efforts is to remove or reduce barriers to successful reentry, so that motivated individuals - who have served their time and paid their debt to society - are able to compete for a job, attain stable housing, support their children and their families, and contribute to their communities. 

 

National Reentry Resource Center

The National Reentry Resource Center was established by the Second Chance Act (Public Law 110-199). Signed into law in 2008, the Second Chance Act authorizes federal grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide reentry services—including employment assistance, substance use treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring, victims support, and other services—and to support corrections and supervision practices that aim to reduce recidivism. For More Information: National Reentry Resource Center

Reentry Mythbusters

Reentry MythBusters are fact sheets designed to clarify existing federal policies that affect formerly incarcerated individuals and their families in areas such as public housing, employment, parental rights, Medicaid suspension/termination, voting rights and more. Please visit – Reentry MythBusters

 

Children of Incarcerated Parent Mythbusters

On a typical day in the United States, nearly two million children under 18 have a parent in prison – and many more have had an incarcerated parent at some point during their childhood. Children of incarcerated parents often face financial instability, changes in family structure, and social stigma from their community. This series is designed to help these children, their caregivers, and the service providers who work with them. Please visit - Children of Incarcerated Parents Series

 

Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) - Employers can save money on their federal income taxes from a tax credit through the WOTC by hiring ex-felons. For each new exfelon hired, the WOTC provides a credit of 25 percent of qualified firstyear wages for those employed at least 120 hours, or $1,500; and 40 percent for those employed 400 hours or more, or $2,400. For More Information: Work Opportunity Tax Credit Coordinator – Alabama Department of Industrial Relations – (334) 242-8037 - Alabama Department of Labor
 

On-the-Job Training Program (OJT) - The OJT program gives individuals an opportunity to learn job skills and allows employers to train new employees while saving money on training costs. An OJT Service Representative and the employer will create a training plan that defines training objectives and goals for the trainee(s). Employers may receive up to a fifty percent reimbursement of hourly wages paid to a trainee. For More Information: Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs or Alabama Workforce Centers.

The Federal Bonding Program was established in 1966 by the U.S. Department of Labor in order to guarantee employers do not suffer any economic loss by giving at-risk job seekers a chance for meaningful employment. The bonds cover the first six months of employment. There is no cost to the job applicant or the employer.

• Employers receive bonded employees free-of charge which serves as an incentive to hire hard-to-place job applicants.

• The FBP bond insurance is designed to reimburse the employer for any loss due to employee theft of money or property with no employer deductible.

• This tool has proven to be extremely successful with only 1 percent of the bonds issued ever resulting in a claim.

For More Information: Federal Bonding Program Homepage .

Federal Bonding Services Coordinator— Alabama Employment Services—(334) 242-8039

If you have any questions about reentry or the United States Attorney’s Office’s actions to improve reentry in Alabama, please contact Jeremy Sherer at Jeremy.Sherer@usdoj.gov or 205.244.2001.

Prisoner Re-entry

If you believe your organization has expertise or resources that could improve outcomes for ex-offenders re-entering society, please e-mail our Reentry Coordinator at Jeremy.Sherer@usdoj.gov or call 205-244-2019.

 

 

Updated February 17, 2022