Summati
THE
n Weekly USPS Publication Number 16300
T h is C om mu n i t y N ewsp a p er is a pu bl ica t ion of E sca m bia / S a n ta Rosa B a r Assoc ia t ion
Section A, Page 1
Vol. 17, No. 37
Visit The Summation Weekly Online: www.summationweekly.com
Coming Home: Transitional Housing It’s no secret that a major problem facing our country is incarceration rates. The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with 724 people imprisoned out of every 100,000. One of the main reasons for this is recidivism – when former criminals re-offend and go back to prison after being released. These numbers are quite high, and it is often because there are not enough quality re-entry programs to assist ex-offenders. In order to help reduce these rates in the Pensacola area and the First Judicial Circuit of Florida, Re-Entry Alliance Pensacola and South Palafox Group have entered into the joint venture known as South Palafox Re-Entry Initiative. The main crux of this project will consist of building a work release program for 80 men and women, as well as transitional housing for 48 ex-offenders. Former Senator Greg Evers,
the Chief of Political Affairs for South Palafox Group and a former Florida State Senator, says that the incarceration solutions of the past are no longer effective. “It costs society far more by incarcerating individuals without the commensurate beneficial interests of incarceration for non-violent and lesser offense,” he said. “Education, training and rehabilitative goals are far more effective than the ‘lock ‘em up’ solutions of the past.” The biggest feature of this program is going to be the on-site housing for some of those within the program. Taking inspiration from the Potter’s Lane veteran housing initiative in Orange County, California, the housing is designed to run on ‘net zero energy’ – being solely powered by solar and geothermal energy, as well as reduced power consumption and environmental controls, so the housing units consume little to no energy. “The proposed facility will be built using repurposed and reconditioned shipping containers,” said Dave Robau, Chief of Energy & Sustainability for South Palafox
Group. “We call it ‘upcycling’.” These containers will be retrofitted off-site at the same time the site and infrastructure is worked on. The containers will then be placed on-site by crane. Ex-offenders will then have around six months to use the transitional housing as part of any number of rehabilitation programs in order to save money and obtain counseling and transitional assistance. “Most of whom we work with will have been incarcerated for years and leave prison with just a bus ticket, the clothes on their back and a $50 debit card,” said Dick Baker, Director of REAP. The program will be open to ex-offenders who have 18 months left for their work release program, or 24 months left to serve on their sentence. To qualify, they must convince the South Palafox Re-Entry Initiative that they want to live a crime-free life and are capable of making the choices that come with that life. “The program is comprehensive and tailored to each person’s needs. It includes various registrations and applications as required by judicial authorities, and for most it
September 20, 2017
1 Section, 12 Pages
by Tanner Yea includes shelter, counseling, job skills and placement,” said Baker. Evers has long been a proponent of prison reform and has championed reducing incarceration and recidivism rates. “Without a job, a person is likely to fall into that high category of recidivism of some 80 percent plus; get that person a job and obtain a support system – family is preferred – and the likelihood of that recidivism drops to 16 percent,” he said. There are many factors that lead to the current high recidivism rates – impoverished upbringing that leaves individuals without skills or education, incarceration for relatively lesser offenses, little support systems once the ex-offender is released, and the realities of root problems of poverty such as drug crime, poor education and ingrained lifestyles. “It costs above $15,000 a year to incarcerate one person on the average,” said Evers. “We can significantly reduce those costs by doing a private and charitable partnership that uses resources wisely, rather than spending that money for services to those re-entering society who have no need for additional security at community release centers.” Evers said that one of the biggest supporters of this movement
is Secretary Julie Jones, the Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections. She has implemented incentives to the inmate population to help them obtain better housing in re-entry dormitories throughout the state. The one being built by South Palafox Re-Entry Initiative will be the first in Northwest Florida and will service the First Judicial Circuit – which includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties. “Work release and transitional housing are vital components of these re-entry programs. We must treat our re-entry centers different than a prison; treat them and run them like what we all expect to be normal society in our homes and in our communities,” said Evers. “We don’t need to be treating participants who are successful in our work release and transitional programs like violent predators.” Dick Baker says that thanks to the Pensacola community, they have been able to expand their reach and provide these programs to ex-offenders wishing to reintegrate into society. “We were blessed by several contributions, a game-changing grant by Impact 100 and leadership by Evers in both chambers for a grant that helped significantly. We have worked with over 300 folks in the past three years, with only five percent returning to prison,” said Baker. Evers said that he hopes they will be able to set by example how technology and community involvement with re-entry programs can help the state as a whole to reduce recidivism and incarceration rates in general. That does not mean the rest of the way is paved clear. “These programs are still a work in progress, and Secretary Jones needs all the community involvement and support we can give her to be successful in this endeavor,” said Evers. The initial re-entry housing is set to be opening in-between December 2018 and February 2019, though its location has yet to be determined. For more information on the ReEntry Alliance Pensacola and its initiatives, visit reapreentry.org. To learn more about South Palafox Group and their projects, visit southpalafox.com.