Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.comment From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: A program that really helps ex-prisoners and the District Date: Sun, 15 Nov 92 16:56:27 EST Message-ID: \SE B;COMMENTARY;EDITORIAL;LETTERS \HD A program that really helps ex-prisoners and the District I am writing in response to your Oct. 22 Page One article "Convicts counsel peers" to support the continuation of funding for the Unfoldment program at Lorton. In my experience as case manager with the D.C. Department of Corrections, contract halfway house, Extended House, I have worked with hundreds of prisoners returning to the community from prison. I understand the importance of assuring public safety while assisting these men and women in finding jobs and housing and making a positive transition after years of institutionalization. Most halfway-house residents have histories of chronic alcohol and substance abuse, low academic and vocational readiness and an addiction to the lifestyle of crime and drugs. The recidivism rate among typical halfway-house participants is high, and the cost to D.C. taxpayers for this revolving-door process increases each day. This is why the Unfoldment program is so vitally important. I was on board when the department began the Unfoldment Aftercare program here at Extended House, and I have closely observed all 54 graduates of the Unfoldment prison-based program during their stay here. I am case manager for the Unfoldment men at Extended House. My duties include monitoring their performance as they move through the levels at Extended House, assessing their adjustment back into the community and making parole recommendations. As a criminal-justice professional, and based on my observation of the performance of the Unfoldment men here at Extended House, I believe that the Unfoldment methodology of using former prisoners and recovering addicts with documented clean time as treatment professionals works. Unfoldment is closing the revolving prison door. The program is cost-effective and should be continued and expanded. I say this becuase since the Unfoldment men have resided at Extended House, their performance has been outstanding in the areas typically used to measure successful reintegration into the community. For example, Extended House staff recently reviewed urinalysis test results for the 54 Unfoldment men housed with us over the past two years. During that time, we took 960 urine samples in unannounced random tests of the 54 men. Our testing was done without notice to Unfoldment staff or participants. Of those 960 samples over the two-year period, only two were positive. Based on my experience in community corrections, urinalysis results such as these are unheard of. The fact that these successful results were obtained among Unfoldment men who have been recently released from prison into a community where drugs are easily available makes the outcome that much more impressive. A comparison of the test results of Extended House women who have not been through the Unfoldment program confirms that the program works and should be extended to other prisoners. In the areas of disciplinary reports, contraband, cleanliness of sleeping areas, work habits and courtesy to staff, the Unfoldment men excel in all areas. There is a level of care and concern among the Unfoldment men for one another that carries over from the prison program through aftercare in the community. This support network sustains the men in the community who meet weekly for social and therapeutic function and refer to one another as "family." Not only do the Unfoldment men and staff use the term "family," they truly care for one another as family. I have observed them pool resources to lend a new man just coming into Extended House from Lorton carfare and lunch money to look for work. Whenever one Unfoldment man is in trouble, the other 20 men and the other men in the community rally around to help him. This exemplifies the kind of bond that exists between the Unfoldment participants, and I believe the bond is there because of the "wounded healer" approach used by Unfoldment staff - a group whose professionalism and discipline has been a source of inspiration for the staff and residents of Extended House. Unfoldment's work with the women at Extended House has made a great and positive difference in the performance of the women, who are not enrolled in Unfoldment, but whose escape, contraband and urinalysis results have vastly improved since the Unfoldment men arrived. Because of the high regard that many corrections staff hold for the Unfoldment program, Unfoldment and its staff were honored with awards at the recent Department of Corrections Community/Release Program's Annual Awards Banquet. The theme, "Striving for Success in the Community," typifies the Unfoldment approach to treatment and rehabilitation. I wholeheartedly support Unfoldment's proposal to continue its work at Lorton and in the community through its aftercare program at Extended House. The Unfoldment program should be expanded to include a program for incarcerated women at Lorton and an aftercare program for all women at the Extended House since most incarcerated women are there for drug-related offenses. SALLIE ELAM Case Manager, Extended House Inc. Washington This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM