Gov. Bob McDonnell announced today a prisoner re-entry program that he said would lessen the chances of former prisoners going back to prison.
About 29 percent of the state's prisoners return to correctional institutions in the first three years of their release.
"Everybody deserves a second chance," McDonnell told a news conference before signing three bills designed to put the program into effect.
"Effective re-entry policies can improve public safety, reduce victimization, improve outcomes for offenders returning to their communities, and reduce recidivism. We must assist prisoners re-entering the community in their effort to succeed, rather to re-offend,” the governor said in a statement.
Among the provisions, McDonnell established the Virginia Prisoner and Juvenile Offender Re-Entry Council. Overall, the push aims to coordinate the various state efforts to combat recidivism. The council will be headed by Banci Tewolde,. who worked with McDonnell in the attorney general's office.
The council will work to establish partnerships among community colleges, business partners, local service agencies and commuinty-based organizations to coordinate re-entry programs.
Each year about 13,000 adults and 300 juveniles get out of jail or prison, McDonnell said.
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