June 29, 2005                                                                                                                                                                                              

U.S. Department of Justice awards federal grant to Wisconsin DOC for state offender reentry initiative

 Federal grant strengthens Wisconsin’s efforts to promote greater community safety

(MADISON) – Under a grant from the United States Department of Justice, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) will be the first agency in the country to pilot a new staff training initiative designed to bolster offender reentry efforts and improve community safety, DOC Secretary Matthew Frank said. 

“While serious and violent offenders need to be locked up for a very long time, the vast majority of offenders will return to our communities,” Secretary Frank said. “The public is best served if these offenders are not only held accountable for their actions, but also have the opportunity to become successful members of the community after their release from prison – resulting in fewer new crimes, fewer new victims, fewer offenders returning to prison, and fewer taxpayer resources expended on law enforcement, court time, and incarceration.”

“This grant provides us with a unique opportunity to work with our staff and improve the Department’s ability to hold offenders accountable, while better preparing offenders to lead successful, crime-free lives once they are released from prison,” Frank continued.

Under the grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, information, resources and skills training will be provided to DOC staff.   The curriculum, titled Community Safety Through Successful Offender Reentry Agencywide Training, is being designed for Wisconsin by the Center for Effective Public Policy, a non-profit organization based in Silver Spring, Maryland, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice and Wisconsin Department of Corrections.  Up to 100 DOC staff members from across the state and from each division of the agency will participate in the training, including DOC managers and supervisors, as well as correctional officers, social workers and parole agents.  DOC leadership will participate in a strategic planning session with the Center for Effective Public Policy in July, and the agency-wide training is expected to occur later this year. 

Governor Jim Doyle has set a new direction for Wisconsin corrections policy, one that focuses on prevention and treatment as well as incarceration and punishment.  As part of this new direction, DOC has begun to focus on enhancing community safety by improving the process for the return of offenders to the community after they complete their prison sentence. The DOC has partnered with other government agencies and local community and faith-based organizations statewide to promote successful prisoner reentry programs.  According to the Center for Effective Public Policy, “Wisconsin’s demonstrated commitment to successful offender reentry” was a key reason why Wisconsin was selected for the grant.

“We are pleased to be the first state in the country selected for this specialized training, and we look forward to working with the U.S. Department of Justice on developing successful offender reentry programs that will enhance the safety of Wisconsin communities,” Secretary Frank concluded. 

06/29/2005