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Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and is host to the largest number of individuals returning from state prison. There are so many challenges that formerly incarcerated individuals face upon release, including finding housing and employment, the stigma of being an “ex-offender” and the repair and renewal of supportive and healthy relationships with families and friends.
Recognizing and overcoming old habits and avoiding reversion to “the criminal mentality” can be an enormous challenge when returning to one’s community. The culture in prison is often marked by power and aggression, resulting in adaptive behavior and communication that is inappropriate on the outside and can lead to conflict, harm and even rearrest. |
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Center for Council’s Council Reentry Program (CRP) addresses the needs of formerly incarcerated individuals returning home and committed to successful reentry. CRP supports the needs of program participants with a customized approach that offers warm hand-off support services initiated during incarceration, and continues throughout the release and reintegration process with case management, ongoing council sessions for participants and their families, and advanced training in council facilitation for those who have found healing in this practice and want to carry it to their communities.
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“I was confused and frustrated when I began to set things in motion for my release.
I didn't know where to start. The excitement of receiving the news that I had been found suitable for parole by [Board of Parole Hearings] soon dissipated as I realized that I would be returning to the free world having to start over. And this frightened me because I was returning to a world that has changed so much in the past seventeen years, and it was a world that I knew nothing about. It would have been a much easier transition period for me had I known that there was a community of support waiting for me, to help guide me through that process.” -SE |
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The Council Reentry Program is comprised of three components:
Case Management
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Case Management, the cornerstone of CRP, is provided with compassion, empathy, and guidance by someone who has walked the path themselves. Beginning with a focus on in-reach to those who have confirmed that they will be returning to the Los Angeles area, Case Managers assess the needs of each individual to meet them where they are and collaborate to provide resources and to create a unique transition plan. Case Managers partner with participants to navigate the trepidation, uncertainty and anxiety of reentry, and tailor linkages and referrals to key service providers to help make the transition from incarceration as smooth as possible. |
Council Circles specifically offered for formerly incarcerated individuals are held throughout the month. These sessions offer participants a nonjudgmental space to connect with a positive community and an opportunity to shift their perception, engaging not as an outcast, but as an essential contributor. Rather than “correcting” any particular behavior, the emphasis in these council circles is on supporting traumatized individuals in acquiring new skills and understandings, and creating successful and balanced reintegration into society. |
Leadership Training is freely available to CRP participants and includes council training workshops and professional development sessions, with the opportunity to engage in internship, one-on-one council mentoring and feedback—ultimately leading to certification as a council facilitator and trainer. As Center for Council offers council-based services throughout Los Angeles and elsewhere, having trainers from varied backgrounds and experiences is a high priority. |
workshops
The Council Reentry Program also offers thematic gatherings, workshops and events intended to expand knowledge and foster group engagement. These offerings have included workshops on Redefining Masculinity, Preventing Domestic Violence and a family-oriented Day of Celebration for participants and their loved ones.
Water bottles provided by a generous sponsor - Check out Viking Bags, Elite Sports and Born Tough:
Water bottles provided by a generous sponsor - Check out Viking Bags, Elite Sports and Born Tough:
our new book
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We could not be more excited about the launch of Leaving Prison Behind: A Council Before I Go.
This illustrated novella tells a moving story of one man's last night of incarceration - and provides a robust, practical compendium of resources intended to support those who are embarking on the perilous journey home from incarceration. We're appealing to our supporters to help us expand the reach of this work and distribute copies of his book into prisons far and wide. For more information on the book, on our fundraising campaign -- and to see a sneak peek video teaser, visit our Leaving Prison Behind page by clicking here. |
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“I was down for 27 years and to have to deal with that mentally, and then come out of it and to be able to see people for who they really are... Council opened that door to where I was able to see people’s points of views and the deep things in people’s lives and be able to connect with them.
Council gave me an appreciation for people in a way I had not seen before. And when they hear me speak and they see my experience, they’re just very welcoming. I know that council had a lot to do with that. Coming out here, into society, after 27 years, the transition has been smooth. I feel like I’m doing really good transitioning from prison back into society with the experience I got from council.” -ER |
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Find out more about how to get involved in our Council Reentry Program.
