CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Charleston Police Department will work with a Kanawha County social organization on a program providing people leaving jail and prison with opportunities to reenter society.
Charleston City Council approved a Memorandum of Agreement at its meeting Monday, allowing the police department and the Kanawha Institute for Social Research and Action to recruit and assist participants for KISRA’s Second Chance Community Reentry Program.
KIRSA will be responsible for recruiting eligible participants, presenting case management plans and sharing data to assist in the development of participant reports, while the police department will be responsible for coordinating with KISRA staff to recruiting participants and identifying community resource programs for those who have concluded their sentences.
Charleston Police Chief Steve Cooper said this is a beneficial program for the Kanawha Valley community.
“Research has shown that recidivism rates go down when law enforcement is involved in reentry programs,” he said. “We’re excited to partner with KIRSA and others in this initiative, and we believe that it will help folks be more successful when they come back into the community.”
Cpl. Errol Randle, the department’s strategic planning officer, said he sees this as “a form of neighborhood revitalization.” adding 90 percent of Charleston residents who commit crimes return home once their sentence is complete.
“We’re asking a question: what are we doing to help them be successful when they get back here,” he said. “We’re advocating for Second Chance. We’re advocating for those guys while their in to become morally rehabilitated. And then we want to join successful organizations, such as KISRA.”
According to Randle, the effort is paid for by grants to KISRA and the police department.
“Each of us brings something different to the table, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to reach the same goal,” he said.
The agreement from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2021.