The Northampton County Sheriff’s Office is offering a fresh start for inmates at the Eastern Shore Regional Jail through a Re-Entry Program. The Re-Entry Program is designed to assist offenders while they are incarcerated to change their thinking and behavior through cognitive programming. A primary focus of reentry efforts is to reduce barriers to successful reentry, so that motivated individuals are able to learn skills which lead to jobs, stable housing, support for their families and strengthen the community.
The goal of the re-entry is twofold: public safety and reduce the rate of recidivism. Earlier this year Governor Northam announced that for the third year in a row, Virginia’s re-incarceration rate is the lowest in the country. Virginia’s latest recidivism rate is 23.4 percent. Virginia maintains the lowest recidivism rate in the country due to re-entry programs. It has been proven through evidence-based practices that individuals who go through re-entry are better educated, possess job skills, regain family values and have greater respect for their community.
“If you can give a man or woman purpose, value and worth chances are they will seek to be productive citizens,” states the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office informational brochure. The Re-Entry Program at the Eastern Shore Regional Jail is directed by Chaplain K. F. Jones. The Program Facilitator is Deputy Clark Lovelady. Courses being offered include but are not limited to:
• Thinking for a change
• Substance abuse
• Anger Management
• GED
• Family reunification
When program participants leave Re-entry and return to their communities, they will possess the following:
• GED
• DMV ID
• Federal bonding letter
• Certificate of Incarceration
• Certifications for all classes completed
The purpose of the Re-entry Program is to instill appropriate goals, motivations and values that lead to beneficial change and new beginnings for participants.
For more information contact the Northampton Sheriff's Office at 757-678-0458.