Berks Connections Pretrial Services

PROVIDES SERVICES, SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

REENTRY SERVICES - BCPS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO RETURNING CITIZENS TO SUPPORT THEIR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION FROM JAIL OR PRISON TO THE BERKS COUNTY COMMUNITY. REENTRY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BOTH PRE AND POST-RELEASE AND INCLUDE: CASE MANAGEMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, MENTORING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, FAMILY REUNIFICATION, HOUSING, AND ASSISTANCE SECURING BASIC NEEDS. ADDITIONALLY, BCPS WORKS TO EDUCATE EMPLOYERS ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF HIRING RETURNING CITIZENS AND PROVIDES ONGOING EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT. IN 2021, BCPS PROVIDED REENTRY SERVICES TO CLOSE TO 350 RETURNING CITIZENS THROUGH OVER 5,389 CONTACTS WITH PROGRAM CASE MANAGERS. DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS THE COUNTY REENTRY PROGRAM (CRP) COULD NOT CONDUCT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OR REENTRY GROUP SESSIONS IN THE JAIL. GROUP INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR CRP WAS CHANGED TO WORKSHEET FORMAT AND CLIENTS RECEIVED PACKETS TO COMPLETE.

REBUILDING REENTRANTS AND READING (R3): IN 2017 BCPS WAS AWARDED A REENTRY TRAINING GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO PROVIDE A TRAINING PROGRAM ENTITLED REBUILDING REENTRANTS AND READING. THE PROGRAM OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH A CRIMINAL HISTORY TO ACQUIRE SKILLS IN THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES. BCPS PARTNERS WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BEKRS COUNTY (HFHBC), AND THE READING MUHLENBERG CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER (RMCTC) TO PROVIDE THE THREE COMPONENTS OF THE TRAINING; CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AT RMCTC, HANDS ON LEARNING ON SITE AT HFHBC PROPERTIES AND AN EMPLOYMENT FOCUSED COGNITIVE CURRICULUM DELIVERED BY BCPS STAFF. FROM THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION IN OCTOBER 2017, PARTICIPANTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED 9,321 HOURS TO HFHBC AND NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES. IN 2021, 40 PARTICIPANTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. GRADUATES OF THE PROGRAM HAVE PROVEN HIGH LEVELS OF SUCCESS: 59.46% ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED AND 92.27% HAVE NOT RECIDIVATED.

COMMUNITY RELEASE PROGRAM: PRETRIAL OFFICERS CONDUCT POST-ARREST INTERVIEWS AND ASSESSMENTS OF CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS AND FURNISH THE VERIFIED ASSESSMENTS TO THE JUDICIARY, EITHER PRIOR TO BAIL BEING SET OR AT THE PRELIMINARY HEARING. BCPS ALSO ASSISTS WITH JAIL POPULATION MANAGEMENT BY MONITORING THE PRETRIAL POPULATION AND PROVIDING ASSESSMENTS TO THE COURT FOR DEFENDANTS WHO ARE DEEMED LOW RISK AND ARE ONLY INCARCERATED DUE TO THEIR INABILITY TO PAY MONETARY BAIL. IN 2021, BCPS PROVIDED 1,226 DEFENDANT ASSESSMENTS TO THE COURTS. BCPS ALSO PROVIDES SUPERVISED RELEASE FOR CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE REMAIN IN JAIL UNTIL THE FINAL DISPOSITION OF THEIR CASE.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH: THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM (COT) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THREE AREAS: 1. VOLUNTEERS: THE TEAM MANAGES THE RECRUITMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF ALL AGENCY VOLUNTEERS THAT SUPPORT OUR VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND REENTRY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING OUR FAMILY CONNECTIONS EVENTS, HOLIDAY GIFT PROJECT, MOTHER'S/FATHER'S VOICE PROGRAM, RETURNING CITIZENS CAREER FAIRS, AND MOCK INTERVIEWING. 2. MARKETING: THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERSIGHT AND PRODUCTION OF OUR AGENCY'S MARKETING MATERIAL INCLUDING SOCIAL MEDIA, NEWSLETTERS, AND APPEALS. 3. EVENTS: THE TEAM OVERSEES BCPS EVENTS AND INITIATIVES INCLUDING THE ANNUAL AWARDS BREAKFAST, TWO CAREER FAIRS, FRIENDS OF BCPS SOCIAL, RAFFLES, AND OUTSIDE AGENCY SPONSORED EVENTS. IN 2021, OUR VOLUNTEERS HELPED US SERVE NEARLY 800 CHILDREN IN OUR HOLIDAY GIFT PROJECT, AND ASSISTED OVER 250 JOB SEEKERS AT OUR RETURNING CITIZENS CAREER FAIRS.