OOR_NOV-DEC 2003

Returning

Inmates . . .

some facts*

>More than 90% of the 37,995 inmates incarcerated in Pennsylvania will return to the community.

>In 2001, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections released 10,486 inmates (9,800 male; 686 female).

>The average time served by an inmate released in 2001 was 4.3 years (national average is 2.5 years.)

>Many return to the same inner-city neighborhoods from which they came:

Philadelphia County (35%)

Allegheny County (10%)

Dauphin County (5%)

>77% had no or very limited skilled vocational training or experience.

>81% were unemployed at the time of the offense.

>A Texas study found that an unemployed ex-offender is three times more likely to return than one who is employed.

>Job retention over time and high quality jobs also are key factors.

>Approximately two-thirds of ex-offenders are rearrested within 3 years, with 40% being rearrested within the first 12 months.

*Information from the PA Dept. of Corrections web site.

Profile of an Inmate Released in 2001
Male
Number Released	9,800
Average Age	35.4
Race	55% Black 33% White 12% Other
Marital Status	15% married 8 5% Sing le
Offense	23% Violent 19% Drugs 58% Other
Mental Health Needs	11%
Average Time Served	55 months
Released at Expiration of Maximum Sentence	29%

FEMALE
Number Released	686
Average Age	36.8
Race	46% Black 46% White 8% Other
Marital Status	15% Married 85% Single
Offense	18% Violent 21% Drugs 61% Other
Mental Health Needs*	32%
Average Time Served	37 months
Released at Expiration	18%

*These are inmates who are mentally ill and were participating in treatment at the time of their release.

OUTSIDE OOR

Ray Thompson, OOR President, is serving on the Legislative Task Force and Advisory Committee to study geriatric and seriously ill inmates.

The committee will make recommendations to the state legislature on sentencing and program changes for this part of the prison population.

They will also focus on compassionate release and care for the seriously ill.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C., has entered an OOR project description in their Forum Online Solutions Database. The entry is for the OOR Huntingdon project at Fort Roberdeau in Blair County.

This database contains successful preservation projects that illustrate tools and strategies used, "so that other preservationists can benefit from these lessons learned."

OOR has received two awards for this project: Dominion Peoples Community Impact award and Blair County Historical Society’s "Excellence in Historic Preservation" award.

New Team Member

Adele Lynn, founder and owner of Lynn Learning Labs, Belle Vernon, PA, is a new member of OOR’s Staunton Farm Project External Team. The External Team is a panel whose members meet quarterly to review progress and documentation relating to project activities.

Ms. Lynn has published two books on "Emotional Intelligence," which is a component of the Staunton Farm project.

Her business "focuses on helping organizations forge trusting relationships and aid productivity through improvements in emotional intelligence and workplace trust."