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The Mission of the Citizen Circle team is to develop a system of
support for felony offenders being released from Ohio Department of
Rehabilitation and Correction institutions to their home communities,
thereby reducing the overall recidivism rate. At the conclusion of an offender’s prison sentence he/she generally returns to the community in which he/she resided prior to incarceration. Community members are often resistant to the idea of offenders living within the neighborhood. As a result, offenders return to their neighborhoods with little or no support from local citizens. Community members rely on the justice system to supervise and police released offenders rather than taking an active role in the reintegration process. Did you know? The total number of offenders released from ODRC institutions during 2001 was 25,842. Our Vision is to Improve Community Support for Offenders Community support is vital for an offender returning to the community. Offenders who make positive life changes while incarcerated, but return to environments without guidance and support resume old behaviors. Offenders who feel accepted by their community and believe they are valued members of that community are less likely to re-offend. Restoring Citizens We propose the creation of a Citizen Circle. The Citizen Circle shall be a forum that builds better relationships between the community and offenders who return whether we like it or not. Its primary goal is to involve local citizens in the rehabilitative process while clearly communicating community expectations. The Citizen Circle, comprised of community members,
will work with offenders returning to the local community. Together, the
circle members, offender and possibly offender family members will develop
an agreed upon plan to assist him/her in becoming a productive citizen.
The Circle will help offenders understand that acceptance into a community
demands certain obligations and responsibilities. Circle plans will be
developed in concert with parole supervision guidelines and may include
the following: ü Job seeking assistance ü Designation of a community mentor ü Community service ü Assistance in locating housing ü Resources for spiritual needs
ü Offender accepts full responsibility for his/her criminal behaviorü Offender acknowledges the hurt his/her behavior has caused othersü Offender agrees to participate in some form of community serviceü Offender agrees to abide by all recommendations offered by the circle.
We Expect Positive Outcomes We feel strongly that this concept
will enhance existing offender supervision strategies by incorporating the
input and participation of a vital link in the rehabilitative process…the
COMMUNITY. The tangible and intangible benefits of this project will
strengthen community relationships as well as improve the quality of life
for citizens of Ohio. We believe we can expect to see the following as a
result of this project: ü Community members who are better educated about the justice systemü Greater community support for offenders re-entering society. Offenders who view themselvesas productive and contributing members of the community.
For More Information: John Graham Citizen Circle Coordinator for Miami / Darke counties (937) 547.6337 Email: jgraham19@woh.rr.com Sheri Duchak Unit Supervisor, Adult Parole Authority Miami Co. Safety Bldg, 201 W. Main St. Troy, Ohio 45373 (937) 440.6070 Richard Brooks Regional Services Coordinator, Adult Parole Authority-Cincinnati 7710 Reading Rd, Suite 210 Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 (513) 821.4804 FAX (513) 821.5213 E-mail: Richard.Brooks@odrc.state.oh.us
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