Reentry Program launched by the Department, Intended to Reduce Recidivism

The Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) has formed a unique Reentry Program, in collaboration with the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department, to connect inmates with a variety of social
services after their release.

The Reentry Program represents a continuum of outreach initiatives by the Department that focuses on
individuals ranging from high-risk youth to felons. With the Youth Outreach Unit, for example, officers serve as mentors to high risk youth within the Northside, South, and Intracoastal Districts. And the Department’s Group Violence Intervention initiative focuses on teens who have been impacted by gun violence, have been charged with gun-related offenses, or are known to be affiliated with gangs. The intervention component includes a bevy of social services that will help them achieve a more productive life.

The Reentry Program seeks to reduce recidivism through similar methods, by connecting individuals who have served 364 days or less, with resources that can help them become productive citizens, and counseling services that can help them shed negative behavior. The Program will be run by a newly-created Reentry Specialist Unit, comprised of a supervisor, two reentry advocates, and a victim advocate, all professional staff members.

Prior to the creation of the Unit, Miami-Dade County did not have a reentry plan for individuals returning to
the community from its jails. In fact, the County’s efforts to develop a reentry program dates back to 2008, when a Blue-Ribbon Advisory Committee produced the report, “Breaking the Cycle: Rehabilitation and Job Training in County Jails.” The report came with 22 recommendations.

Seven years later, in 2015, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners created the Miami-Dade Reentry Council Committee, consisting of ten law enforcement and governmental agencies, including MDPD. The committee studied numerous existing reentry programs and services available to inmates. The committee concluded that there was a need for a new model that would go beyond connecting inmates to housing, job training, and educational benefit. The committee determined that a holistic component was needed as well, that would include substance abuse treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, health and wellness, mentoring and peer learning, and spiritual guidance, among other services geared towards
self-improvement.

The assistance will not be a one-size-fits-all approach, but tailored to the specific needs of each individual. A Reentry Advocate will meet with an inmate prior to his or her release to determine what types of social services would be most suitable for them.

Approximately one-fifth of prison inmates from Miami-Dade County return to prison within 36 months of their release, according to the “Florida Prison Recidivism Report: Releases from 2008 to 2020,” by the Florida Department of Corrections.

Crime, particularly violent crime, is inextricably linked to recidivism rates, so by offering counseling and other self-help assistance to individuals after their release, the Reentry Program is essentially an anti-crime initiative.

On October 5, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the awarding of almost $100 million in grants to “jurisdictions, non-profit organizations, research institutions and other agencies to advance its goal of addressing the needs of people in correctional facilities and to empower those who have been incarcerated to return home as productive and thriving members of their communities.”

In January 2021, the Thrive305 Action Plan was launched, the largest public engagement initiative in
Miami-Dade County’s government history. The plan was developed by the Division of Innovation and Performance, within the Office of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, after a process that included input from close to 27,000 residents from throughout the County, who shared their priorities and concerns through a resident survey. Additionally, over 500 residents joined in community discussions with County staff to develop a collective vision for Miami-Dade County. One of the priorities of the Action Plan is to “Improve correctional services and prepare incarcerated people for successful reentry to prevent recidivism.” A portion of the “Issue Statement” from that priority is:
“We know that our County is safer when people exiting our correctional facilities can re-enter their communities and rebuild their futures. But re-entry needs are complex. And though programs exist that serve the re-entry community – on matters of education, employment, housing, health,
and accessing childcare and other benefits – there are still far too many people that are falling through the cracks of this system. Services need to be targeted earlier and be more tailored. As a whole, the system of social supports available to this population requires significant growth and transformation.”