According to the North Carolina Department of Corrections (NCDOC), each year more than 22,000 inmates are released from North Carolina’s state prisons system after being paroled or actually serving out their sentences. In Forsyth County that number is approximately 1200. In the most recent recidivism study, the re-arrest rate for all inmates released was 42 percent (NC Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission (April 2002)).
Barriers to successful re-entry often include societal prejudice against
ex-offenders, minimal education and job skills, lack of affordable housing, and addiction, health, and family issues.
THE FIRST 90 DAYS
Our Reentry program, in collaboration with other groups addressing re-entry helps to provide resources and support for individuals re-entering the Forsyth County area from prison. We help our re-entry program Associates find jobs and housing as quickly as possible, as the first ninety days are crucial to successful re-entry.
Of ninety re-entry Associates in a recent six-month period, the Darryl Hunt Project found jobs for more than sixty, with fifty-five still employed and in regular contact with our office six months later.
Click here to meet some of our Re-entry Associates ››
BENDING STEEL
Finding employment as an ex-offender is often a daunting task, even with assistance from our staff; some Associates need intensive skills training before they go to work.
We recently launched an intensive six-month training program in automobile body work for our Associates. The program is limited to ten at any one time, and provides daily on-the-job training supplemented by evening academic and life skills classes. After six months, graduates should be competitive for jobs paying $11 to $15 per hour.
Demand is high for such an intensive program, so we are experimenting with less intensive orientation and training models for those just out of prison.