Leslie Balonick

Creative Solutions in Lean Budget Times

April 10-12, 2012 Walt Disney World Swan Resort

Accepted Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the successful Recovery Kentucky program as a means to provide additional recovery centers. 2. Describe the primary outcome of the Sheridan Program – reduced recidivism – and how this outcome is affected by intermediate program outcomes such as completion of the therapeutic community, admission and retention in community treatment, and completion of case management requirements. 3. Evaluate the cost of incarceration versus the cost of providing treatment/recovery services.

Disclosure Statement

•  All presenters for this session, Leslie Balonick and Mike Townsend, have disclosed no relevant, real or apparent personal or professional financial relationships.

Sheridan Correctional Center


The Impetus

The Illinois Story •  27 adult Institutions •  Over 46,000 inmates –  40% for drug law violations

•  54% recidivism rate •  36,000 adults on parole •  Over half will return to prison within 3

years of release •  Over 80% returning to ten areas of

the state

The Plan

•  Illinois Community Safety and Reentry Commission convened in December 2004

•  Subcommittees held public hearings & reviewed national best practices and model programs

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

•  REDUCING RECIDIVISM WILL HELP IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY

•  RECIDIVISM IS COSTLY •  INMATES’ CHALLENGES ARE LONG-

STANDING AND EXTENSIVE •  JUST DOING TIME IS NOT ENOUGH •  LEARN FROM PAST SUCCESS

OVERARCHING PRINCIPLE

PRISONERS MUST PREPARE FOR REENTRY SERVICES FROM DAY ONE AND

SUPPORTS THEY RECEIVE IN PRISON MUST BE EXTENDED AFTER THEY LEAVE

PRISON!


Overview

Sheridan •  Opened January 2004 •  Fully dedicated

substance abuse treatment prison –  modified therapeutic

community •  1,650 beds

–  400 reentry beds •  Education and

vocational training •  Aftercare & case

management upon release

Sheridan Intake

In Prison

Reentry Planning Home

Community Integration

Outcomes

• All inmates given a drug screen at R&C

• If qualify, can voluntarily go to Sheridan

• Integrated Assessment/Plan

• Substance Abuse Treatment

• Job Readiness

• Vocational and Educational Training

• Integrated Tx and Reentry plan

• 120, 60, 45 and 30 day staffings

• Inner Circle

• Job preparedness class

• Aftercare Recommendation

• Parole & TASC

• Job Search

• Ongoing Treatment

• Job Search

• CSAC

• Integrated Staffings

• Lower Recidivism

• Employment

• Community Engagement

FLOW

Who is eligible? •  Diagnosed as in- need

of substance abuse treatment

•  Volunteers •  9 -36 months left to

serve in prison •  Are eligible for medium

security –  No current, prior murder,

sex offense convictions

•  No untreated severe mental illness

Stakeholders •  Client •  Illinois Department of Corrections •  Educational and Vocational Units •  WestCare Foundation •  TASC •  Safer Foundation •  Placement Resource Unit •  Parole •  Community Treatment Providers •  Community Support Advisory Council

(CSAC)

Client Demographics

Olson, D.E. & Rozhon, J. (2011). A process and impact evaluation of the Sheridan Correctional Center therapeutic community program during fiscal years 2004 through 2010.Chicago, IL: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

Substances of Abuse

Sheridan Clients in Group

Orientation with WestCare Director Stan Brooks

Clients participate in 15 hours of group per week. –  CBT


Outcomes

Lower Recidivism

•  Likelihood of re-incarceration for Sheridan graduates who complete aftercare is 44% lower than statistically similar comparison group

•  16% overall lower likelihood of being re-incarcerated than comparison group

•  Sheridan graduates that did not complete aftercare had a higher likelihood (30 percent) of a return to prison.


Improved Psychological & Social Functioning


Employment –  55% of clients released had a

job start •  2,533 overall job starts

–  57% of clients obtained a job start within 60 days from release

–  Average wage: $8.82 •  Range: $8.55 - $10.09

–  Employer sectors •  Manufacturing/Warehousing (30%)

•  Construction (16%) •  Customer Service (16%) •  Hospitality (11%)

Olson, D. E., Rozhon, J., & Powers, M. (2009). Enhancing prisoner reentry through access to prison-based and post-incarceration aftercare treatment: experiences from the Illinois Sheridan Correctional Center therapeutic community. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 5(3), 299-321.

Client Comments: Sheridan different from traditional

prison

“Everybody was understanding, there was a big brother thing going on.”

“It was more like getting a second chance. More than sitting in a cell and watching TV. [I was able to] find out the cause of what gets me going out using drugs, drinking.”

Client Comments: Sheridan and Success

“Prepared me to live, to be a man. Prepared me to live life on life's terms. Gave me hope. Coming from where I came from that was really unique.”

“Got me mentally ready; knowing what to expect when I go back to the world; gave hope, life.”

“Teach you about patience, understanding, respect, respect for others, how to think clearly without being on drugs. You need responsibility in situations.”


Cost of Incarceration versus Treatment

Treatment Saves

•  Each dollar spent on treatment saves between $4 and $7 in reduced drug related crime and subsequent costs to the criminal justice system.

(Mears, D.P, Winterfield, L., Hunsaker, J., Moore, G.E., and White, R.M. (2003). Drug treatment in the criminal justice system: The current state of knowledge. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute.)

•  Providing returning offenders with the services and resources they need reduces their chances of re-incarceration. Benefits of services after reentry include reduced incarceration costs, welfare payments, and medical costs, as well as increased tax revenue.

(Cohen, 2001), increased public safety, and less victimization to the community (Fretz, Helivbrun, & Brown, 2005).

Cost of Incarceration v. Treatment: Need to look at the long term

•  IDOC annual average cost per inmate- $22,043 –  With 50% recidivism rate adding to original investments.

•  Sheridan annual average cost per inmate- $34,733 –  With lower likelihood of recidivating –  Includes all post-release costs (i.e. aftercare and case

management)

Additional Cost Savings

Earned Good Conduct Credit

From SFY 2005-2010: –  a savings of 714 years of incarceration , which equates to $16.7

million, or $2.78 million per year, in reduced incarceration costs

(Olson, D.E. & Rozhon, J. (2011). A process and impact evaluation of the Sheridan Correctional Center therapeutic community program during fiscal years 2004 through 2010. Chicago, IL: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.)

Contact Information

Leslie Balonick- Senior Vice President [email protected]

Stanley Brooks- Program Director [email protected]

Health & Medicine

Leslie Balonick