Milwaukee County, WI

In early 2015, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, was selected by the CSG Justice Center and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance as one of only two sites in the country to pilot an innovative approach to reducing recidivism and increasing the employability of people returning to Milwaukee County from prison.

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections and Employ Milwaukee (formerly the Milwaukee Area Workforce Development Board) are leading the effort, and this site was chosen due to these agencies’ committed leadership and mature infrastructure, as well as the strong presence of workforce agencies in Milwaukee County.

The summary presents the CSG Justice Center’s findings and recommendations from the first year of the project, which is supported through a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, with guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The presentation, presented to Milwaukee County’s Executive Steering Committee, highlights the findings and recommendations from the first year of the site’s Integrated Reentry and Employment Pilot Project (IRES).

The IRES Pilot Project Process Evaluation Report details findings from the implementation of strategies to improve recidivism and job readiness for people returning to the two communities from incarceration.

The fact sheet provides an overview of the project and discusses the recently released report as well as other key takeaways and insights for jurisdictions looking to improve their systems.