A message from Supervisor Boddye:
This afternoon I was invited to sit in on a meeting of the Greater Prince William Re-entry Council, a collaboration between more than 30 local, regional, and state agencies, as well as non-profits. Led by PWC PD Officer Burley, the council is dedicated to facilitating successful re-entries into society for people who have served their time in our criminal justice system. This can mean help with securing a job and housing, reestablishing family connections, applying for social services, and addressing mental health challenges. (Learn more.)
Re-entry programs that offer wrap-around services in this way (as opposed to those that only focus on employment) can reduce recidivism, giving the justice-involved individual a true second chance and saving taxpayer dollars. Some of the organizations providing these services include StreetLight Community Outreach Ministries, Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center, Prince William County Sheriff’s Office, and Action in Community Through Service. Council members actively engage each other in casework, especially collaborating on challenging clients to ensure the best outcomes possible for each individual which, in turn, benefits the community as a whole.
I have always been a big believer in a justice system built on a foundation of rehabilitation and redemption rather than incarceration and punishment; the work done by the Greater Prince William Re-entry Council helps us achieve just that.