Experts say former prisoners face too many obstacles while trying to re-enter society.
On Sept. 17, members of the Alabama Commission on Reentry will meet to start developing the state’s plan to reduce recidivism. Officials say the rate is more than 29 percent right now. They’re working to implement best practices to eradicate challenges that formerly incarcerated individuals encounter while trying to reestablish themselves in the real world.
Cam Ward, the director of Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, explained the goals the commission is seeking to achieve ultimately by the year 2030.
“We found there needs to be more collaboration with different health services, mental health, drug and substance abuse, and job training,” Ward explained.
More than a dozen agencies expect to pull a proposal together with possible solutions at the end of September. The agencies involved in this collaborative effort include:
- The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles
- Alabama Department of Labor
- Alabama Community College System
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
- Alabama Department of …