Fighting to Save Parolee Re-Entry Program

March 4, 2009

Fighting Back Partnership of Vallejo announced today that the California Department of Corrections will not continue to fund its highly successful Parolee Re-Entry Program. Through this program Fighting Back Partnership has achieved a 14.7% recidivism rate. The State of California has a 74.5% recidivism rate. This Parolee Re-Entry Program has saved the State an estimated $17,990.00 in the last two and one-half years. This figure does not include the thousands of dollars saved by county criminal justice system. This program official ends June 30, 2009. The parolee grant cost the state $582,000 over eighteen months, and worked with 848 parolees, with only 122 returned to custody.

"It is unconscionable that the State would choose to let this cost-effective program end and instead pay the costs of having parolees re-offend," said Tony Pearsall, Executive Director of Fighting Back Partnership and former Vallejo Police Captain.

Vallejo Police Chief, Robert Nichelini, in his letter of support agreed that this program helps create a safer community. Solano County Sheriff, Gary Stanton, stated that considering the dire economic situation in California this program becomes even more significant.

Fighting Back Partnership and the City of Vallejo were awarded the grant in June of 2007 to address the reintegration efforts of the returning felon population to Solano County, utilizing the systems approach to community problem solving and collaboration of the Re-Entry Model Framework. The Framework was developed by Fighting Back under contract to Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and the U.S. Department of Justice for a systems approach to re-entry and has been taught to various communities around the country by Fighting Back staff.