Information for Criminal Justice and Social Service Agencies

Welcome to Reentry Services Department of OAR, serving the County of Arlington and Cities of Alexandria and Falls Church. This team of dedicated professionals provides reentry services, including transition assistance and employment counseling, to incarcerated individuals and ex-offenders who are committed to avoiding re-incarceration and becoming established in the community as productive and responsible citizens.

Professional Summary

OAR reentry advisors may act as resource consultants, problem-solving facilitators, client advocates, and employment counselors, but the agenda in all circumstances is to empower clients toward the goal of self-sufficiency.

	The Reentry Services Department unit serves some 800 post-release clients annually, including reentry services and employment counseling.
	In addition nearly 750 pre-release clients annually receive assistance while incarcerated at the Alexandria Detention Center and the Arlington County Detention Facility.
	A specialized employment counseling program addresses the unique challenges of ex-offenders and each year assists 150 clients to re-enter the workforce.
	A continuous outcome measures protocol in effect since June 2001 substantiates the hypothesis that dedicated employment counseling improves job retention. Since the study began, 65% of clients have remained employed 30 days after placement, 64% after 90 days, and 70% after 180 days. This study significantly challenges the assumption that ex-offenders are unemployable.

Who is Likely to Benefit From Reentry Services Department?

OAR reentry advisors assist men and women through major life transitions directly or indirectly related to the individual’s criminal justice status or history. Eligibility for these services is contingent on a conviction record and certain residency requirements as outlined below. The client’s reentry may consist of one or more of the following:

	From jail back to the community
	From a substance abuse treatment program to a clean and sober life
	From illegal sources of income to legal and productive employment
	From homelessness to a stable residence
	From joblessness to employment with career potential
	From public assistance to self-sufficiency

Individuals currently incarcerated at local, state or federal correctional centers may benefit from OAR reentry services. We caution incarcerated individuals not to think of their release dates as the conclusion of their difficulties. Indeed the weeks or months immediately following release are often the most challenging and difficult to manage. Reentry advisors help incarcerated individuals plan for release by prioritizing goals, anticipating difficulties, presenting options, and in some cases initiating specific tasks in advance.

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The Consequences of Incarceration

Numerous studies of recidivism suggest that the first year following release is the time that presents the greatest challenges and the highest risk of re-arrest and re-incarceration. Consider the following statistics:
	68% of state prison incarcerated individuals will be re-arrested within three years of release
	57% of released state prison incarcerated individuals will return to jail within two years
	74% of local detention center incarcerated individuals will return to jail within two years
	Two-thirds of all re-arrests and re-incarcerations occur within the first year following release

Incarceration for months or years often results in loss of a good job or even a career, termination of rental property leases, foreclosure of home mortgages, loss or theft of clothing and personal effects, loss or confiscation of identification and important papers, and even loss of contact with family and children. In general, incarceration tends to strip away community supports and stability and thus increases the likelihood that old patterns of behavior will be repeated.

OAR Reentry Services Department are intended to assist ex-offenders in overcoming these risks and thus reduce recidivism. Community benefits include improved public safety and enhanced civic responsibility.

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What Can Individuals Do While Incarcerated?

	Any local, state or federal incarcerated individual is welcome to correspond with an OAR reentry advisor.
	Incarcerated individuals returning or relocating to Arlington, Alexandria or Falls Church upon release may become clients and begin transition planning while still in jail.
	Incarcerated individuals of the Arlington County Detention Facility or the Alexandria Detention Center may inquire about OAR programs, classes and groups offered at these facilities. They may also request to see an OAR reentry advisor for individual services.

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What Kinds of Services Are Available to Ex-Offenders?

Reentry Services
These are short-term services that help ex-offenders get settled upon release from jail, from a residential substance abuse recovery program, or following any difficult life transition:
	Transportation assistance
	Problem solving and task management
	Emergency food and clothing
	Temporary shelter referrals
	Limited housing assistance
	Temporary grocery assistance
	Identification services
	Recovery program referrals
	Social service referrals
	Transitional housing referrals
	Transportation home from jail to anywhere in the continental United States
	Employment services
	Work related clothes and tools

Employment Counseling Obtaining stable employment that supports the ex-offender and his or her family is absolutely critical for success. OAR has developed an employment counseling program specifically designed for ex-offenders and tailored to each individual’s needs. Reentry advisors assist with:
	Assembling a detailed work history
	Assessing work skills and experiences
	Creating a professional resume
	Planning a job search
	Completing employer application forms
	Interview skills for success
	Answering questions about your conviction or incarceration
	Transportation for job searching and commuting to a new job
	Referrals to area employers
	Licensing and reinstatement
	Work related clothes and tools
	Post-employment services and career counseling

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Who is Eligible for Reentry Services Department?

	Post-release services primarily assist residents of Arlington County and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church.
	Certain graduates of OAR educational programs may be eligible for post-release services regardless of residency.
	Persons are eligible if convicted of a crime at any time in the past, or have a criminal charge pending before the Court, even if the current difficulties are unrelated to the conviction or charges.
	Incarcerated individuals of the Alexandria Detention Center and the Arlington County Detention Facility are eligible regardless of residency.
	State and federal incarcerated individuals returning to Arlington, Alexandria or Falls Church may be eligible for reentry services via correspondence.
	Non-residents may be eligible for transportation home from jail and for referrals to agencies and programs in their home communities.

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How Do I Refer Clients to OAR?

	Call to make an appointment with an OAR reentry advisor.
	Provide incarcerated individuals with the OAR address and suggest that they correspond by mail; or call OAR to obtain information brochures at your facility.
	Referrals from criminal justice agency case managers, probation and parole officers, and community corrections officers are always welcome.

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If I Refer a Client to OAR, May I Expect the Reentry Advisor to Coordinate With My Agency?

Yes. OAR reentry advisors routinely coordinate client service plans with referring agencies. We welcome the opportunity to work with other social service providers, mental health professionals, homeless services case managers, probation and parole officers and others who are working to assist referred clients. Frequently individuals are referred to OAR for services specifically related to their conviction histories, while remaining clients of the referring agency. These partnerships offer exceptional opportunities to clients who benefit from a seamless continuity of critical services.

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How is the Community Served by Reentry Services Department?

OAR reentry advisors help clients prioritize community and family obligations and offer problem-solving strategies that assist clients in achieving these goals: to re-unite with families if possible, assume responsibility for children by re-instating child support payments, remain in compliance with probation requirements, pay court fines and restitution, resolve past debts, and utilize vocational skills in stable employment to most effectively benefit community and individual alike. Finally, the employability skills clients learn dramatically increase job retention in the future and therefore contribute to reduced recidivism and community resilience.

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Contact OAR Reentry Services Department

	Telephone 703.228.0071
	Email: wwilson@OARonline.org

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