U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Public Defender, U.S. Probation, and Bureau of Prisons Join Forces to Improve Success of Transition From Federal Custody to the Community

             U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran today highlighted collaborative work among the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender, the U.S. Probation Office, and the Bureau of Prisons to assist formerly incarcerated individuals with the transition from prison to the community.  The Western District of Washington is one of the first federal judicial districts to create a “reentry guide” for individuals preparing for release.  The district also created one of the first “warrant clearing” initiatives to assist individuals who are federally incarcerated with clearing state court warrants.  Unresolved warrants prohibit incarcerated individuals from participating in programs that play an important role in the rehabilitative process, such as halfway houses and drug treatment.

            “As a long-time prosecutor, I am always pleased when someone who has been incarcerated is able to successfully rejoin the community and become a contributing member of society,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  “That success makes our communities safer and frees up resources to investigate and prosecute other crimes.  I’m pleased that the Western District of Washington is a leader in working collaboratively to reduce barriers and facilitate successful transitions to the community.”

            Working with the Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, the U.S. Probation Office, and the Federal Public Defender, the U.S. Attorney’s Office produced a 32-page guide for those within six months of their release from incarceration.  The content of the guide was created with input from those in FDC SeaTac.  Currently incarcerated individuals were asked what information they most needed, and prosecutors, defenders, probation, and the Bureau of Prisons worked together to provide clear and comprehensive answers.  The guide was first provided to incarcerated persons in December 2018 as part of a quarterly reentry event at FDC SeaTac and is now provided on an ongoing basis to individuals within six months of release.  At the reentry events, reentry experts provide information on education, employment, and housing options and answer questions about legal concerns regarding supervised release. 

            Incarcerated individuals are also able to take advantage of a unique warrant-clearing initiative in the Western District of Washington.  Through this program, one of only a few in the country, federal prosecutors work hand-in-hand with local prosecutors and federal defenders to determine the warrant status and seek a resolution that improves the likelihood of successful reentry.  By clearing the warrants, incarcerated persons can take advantage of more education programs at the Bureau of Prisons and more successfully transition to the community upon release.