Palm Beach County, FL

In early 2015, Palm Beach County, FL, 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 Palm Beach County from prison and jail.

The Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission is leading the effort in partnership with the county workforce development board, community-based reentry service providers, the Florida Department of Corrections, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. This site was chosen due to these agencies’ committed leadership and mature infrastructure, as well as the strong collaboration between reentry service providers in the community.

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 Palm Beach 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.