Criminal Offenders Successful Transitions
Placer County, CA- Justice system success rates continue to rise in Placer County in part due to the Placer Re-Entry Program, designed to provide offenders tools to make positive changes in their lives, the county Probation Department reported today.
“The model that Placer has created is phenomenal, and the rest of the 58 counties and the state could look to Placer to replicate this model because it is working,”
Jennifer Montgomery, District 5 Supervisor
The PREP program, a partnership with Sacramento County Office of Education, provides criminal offenders with one-on-one and group-level services to assist their successful transition back into the community.
Success is achieved through individualized service plans that include job training, face-to-face counseling and multiple re-entry preparation opportunities aimed at providing participants the tools to maintain success after graduating from the program.
Each client is assigned a dedicated case manager who works with the client to develop solutions and assist with re-entry into the community.
“Our program’s success is a direct reflection on our justice system’s commitment to holding offenders accountable while providing appropriate services to redirect behavior,” said Chief Probation Officer Marshall Hopper. “Programs such as PREP utilize a risk-based approach to changing behavior while minimizing the cycle of criminal activity and hopefully reducing victimization in our communities.”
“The model that Placer has created is phenomenal, and the rest of the 58 counties and the state could look to Placer to replicate this model because it is working,” said District 5 Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery. “Unless we create opportunities and give people the tools to be successful, we run the risk that they’ll continue to make bad choices.”
Success & Services
Since the program’s inception, there have been 514 successful graduates and a recent study found that 95 percent of them had no new convictions in Placer County following program completion. Additionally, 81 participants have completed training and started a career through the Northern California Construction Training Program, and PREP has facilitated the completion of over 600 community service hours on projects throughout Placer County.
PREP client services cover job readiness training, theft education, anger management, parenting classes, transportation to job interviews, housing placement, relapse prevention, computer education and more.
Graduation requirements include demonstrated risk level reduction, successful participation in the individualized service plan, class completion and an analysis of positive results demonstrating successful re-entry into society.
PREP Service Locations
PREP services are offered in Roseville, Auburn and the Lake Tahoe Basin and are available to all Placer County residents.
For more information on the Placer Re-Entry Program visit: placer.ca.gov/departments/probation/adults/prep.
