The Franklin Covey Reentry Program

Most offenders sentenced to imprisonment are eventually released and reenter communities somewhere. Studies show that reentry programs can reduce recidivism, lower costs for taxpayers, and enhance public safety.  The United States Attorney’s Office participates in the United States Probation Office’s Franklin Covey Reentry Program to help integrate reentering offenders into the community as law abiding and productive citizens, resulting in reduced crime and safer communities.

The Program

The program is a voluntary, incentive-based, cognitive process focusing on behavioral change. It follows the principles of Stephen R. Covey’s best-selling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Learning these habits is designed to enable the participant to progress from a state of dependence to independence, then ultimately to interdependence.  The Probation Office conducts the program in two phases, with probation officers teaching the sessions and prosecutors speaking at graduation and at sessions 
if requested.

The program consists of two phases. Phase One must be completed within the first year of supervised release, which begins after the offender’s imprisonment discharges. It consists of a 16-week course covering the 7 habits.  Habit 1 (be proactive), Habit 2 (begin with the end in mind), and Habit 3 (put first things first) emphasize personal mastery, defining desired outcomes and focusing efforts to lay the internal groundwork for success.  Habit 4 (think win-win), Habit 5 (seek first to understand, then to be understood), and Habit 6 (synergize) foster collaboration and synergy with others, building strong relationships that allow the participant to accomplish more with others than alone.  Habit 7 (sharpen the saw) stresses the need for self-renewal and continuous improvement to succeed in and sustain the previous 6 habits. Participants who successfully complete Phase One will be eligible for graduation.

The second phase consists of two “Sharpening the Saw” sessions during the eight months following Phase One. These sessions are designed to equip the participants to support, encourage, and reinforce each other’s behavioral change.

The Incentive

Upon successful completion of Phase Two and all other requirements, participants will graduate and receive early termination of supervised release.  A probation officer must recommend the early termination, a prosecutor must concur, and a federal judge must grant the recommendation. Participants serving a five-year term of supervised release can receive a year and a half reduction, and participants serving a three-year term can receive a year reduction.

Eligibility

Offenders are eligible for the program if they are United States citizens, are in their first year of supervised release, and have a suitable post-conviction risk assessment. Sex offenders and offenders with severe mental health issues are not eligible 
to participate.