Initial Findings from a Study on a Web-based Reentry Planning App in Prisons

• In Event: Innovations in Corrections: Findings and Lessons Learned from Using Technology in the Field

Abstract

Traditional approaches to reentry programming, which tend to be deficit-based and involve individuals passively, have met with mixed results. New approaches are clearly needed and strategies that incorporate innovative technologies to facilitate greater information sharing across reentry stakeholders and encourage individuals to take responsibility for their own reentry planning carry great promise for improving reentry outcomes. RTI International is conducting a randomized controlled trial to test a web-based reentry planning and management tool known as Pokket among individuals reentering their communities after incarceration in an NC Department of Public Safety specialized reentry unit. Pokket, which accompanies returning individuals from confinement to the community, is intended to enhance reentry programming and reduce recidivism by enabling the sharing of client-level data across reentry stakeholders and empowering individuals to take ownership over their reentry. In this presentation, we will discuss the study’s goals, data collection efforts, and initial findings. We will also discuss lessons learned from deploying this tool in the midst of the pandemic and in facilities that are impacted by staff shortages.

Authors

• Debbie Dawes, RTI International

• Megan Nyce, RTI International

• Christine Lindquist, RTI International

• Samuel Scaggs, RTI International