Transcript
Re-Entry By James W. Harkleroad Creating a re-entry plan acceptable to the Florida Commission on Offender Review (Commission) can be an interesting experience. To facilitate your effort the Commission provides a list of approved, privately operated, re-entry programs that a prisoner may contact, in the prison law library. You, however, must provide paper, pen, envelopes and stamps. From personal experience - having written to 18 of these programs between January 1 and May, 7 2020 - I have learned that: At least four (4) addresses on the Commission list are no good. Eight (8) declined to respond to my query letter. One (1) accepted only individuals residents to that city. Two (2) declined - one, in part, because I have no re-entry date. (One, in part, to not having a re-entry plan. E.g., a place to stay and a job.) One does not provide a transition program. It is a drug rehabilitation facility. One (1) has not responded to the application form I returned to them. One (1) the Classification Department declined to download their application form for me. Rather obviously the current method of locating a re-entry program needs to be modified. One potential solution to the problem is to provide a web site where re-entry program providers and potential employees may obtain information. A file for each prisoner who is near release, or coming up for parole consideration, would be available for review. If a program provider, or employer, found someone they think would be suitable they could then contact that prisoner for further discussion. The author is a former death row prisoner who has been incarcerated in Florida since 1971.
