Assessing the Effectiveness of a Multi-faceted and Comprehensive Rehabilitative Reentry Program: Back on Track-Los Angeles

• In Event: Community Programs for and Supervision of Reentering Individuals

Abstract

In early 2015 California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, with Los Angeles County Sheriff and Probation partners, launched the Back on Track—Los Angeles (BOT—LA) re-entry program to address those affected by Assembly Bill 109 (Public Safety Realignment). This multi-faceted program addresses participant needs: education needs through life skills programming, remedial education, college, and Career Technical Education (vocational) courses; addresses employment needs through an employment developer; cognitive behavioral interventions through in-custody courses such as Thinking for a Change, anger replacement therapy, and substance abuse curriculum. In addition, BOT-LA also offers dedicated case managers that address housing needs and other transitional issues through the use of out-of-custody probation coaches. Participants eligible for this program are state sentenced, but serving time in county jail, must be between the ages of 18 and 65, and must be serving time for a non-serious, non-sexual, non-violent offense with between 6–18 months of time remaining on their sentence. This presentation will focus on an ongoing program evaluation designed to gauge BOT-LA’s effectiveness. Preliminary results suggest that BOT-LA participants show reductions in their overall dynamic needs, criminal thinking measures, and substance abuse. Additional results will be discussed comparing the BOT-LA participants with a control group.

Authors

• Randie C. Chance, Office of the Attorney General / California Department of Justice

• Alex Holsinger, University of Missouri - Kansas City

• Kevin Walker, Office of the Attorney General / California Department of Justice