BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Tennessee Department of Correction has selected GEO Reentry Services to deliver community-based reentry programs designed to reduce recidivism among parolees and probationers under the supervision of the department. Nearly 5,000 parolees and probationers will receive programming annually through this service agreement. Placement in the evidence-based programs are based on a validated risk/needs assessment and are designed to help participants lead successful lives by identifying and addressing their specific needs.
GEO Reentry will partner with the department to deliver in-person and evidence-based online reentry services. Specifically, there will be two unique types of services delivered:
- A technology-based program option will allow participants to complete online courses through a self-directed curriculum. Available 24/7, the self-directed option is estimated to take up to four months to complete. Designed for participants living in rural areas, approximately 3,000 individuals may access this option each year.
- A traditional reentry services program option will also be offered. This includes in-person reporting at one of six state-managed Day Reporting Centers and a number of District Probation / Parole offices. These sites are located in populated areas and includes in-person reporting for evidence-based treatment and training, supplemented with remote programming made possible by phone and videoconference systems. More than 1,800 individuals will receive services annually through this option.
To implement these two program options, GEO Reentry partnered with Vant4ge, an online software and content firm, MaxxContent, a digital content firm, and American Community Corrections Institute, which develops online courses for justice-involved adults and juveniles. GEO Reentry will implement the State’s evidence-based cognitive behavioral treatment programming at the in-person locations, which will be housed within the TDOC DRC locations – two each in west, middle and east regions – and various District Supervision offices throughout the state. A participant’s location and assessed risks and needs will help determine in which option they are enrolled.
For several years, Tennessee officials have focused on reducing pressure on crowded prisons, reducing high incarceration costs, and facilitating successful reintegration in the community. Tennessee passed the Public Safety Act of 2016, which called for the development of Day Reporting Centers and Community Resource Centers as alternatives to incarceration by placing eligible participants in structured and intensive outpatient programs. By shifting more individuals to community supervision, the state sought to better align the risk level associated with justice-involved individuals with the appropriate supervision, reducing the $79 daily incarceration cost and engaging individuals in productive reentry reintegration efforts.