In April, 2021, with funding from New York Community Trust, PLS launched our Pre-Release & Reentry Project, a holistic approach to reintegration focused on incarcerated individuals from the Bronx and New York County who are within six to 12 months of their maximum release date.

 

The PLS Newburgh office is home to PLS’ new Pre-Release and Re-Entry Pilot Project (PREP), a program that assists people scheduled to be released from prison on their maximum release date with pre-release planning and then works with them after their release to ensure their successful reintegration.  

 

PLS sends individuals who will soon be released to the Bronx or New York County a questionnaire designed to identify their needs and then selects those individuals who are most likely to benefit from our services. We then work with these individuals for six to 12 months prior to their release to prepare them for reintegration into their community. To maximize the likelihood of a successful transition, we focus on issues related to:

 

•         Pre and post release education and programming;

•         Discharge planning relating to medical and mental health care;

•         Locating housing;

•         Procuring legal documentation;

•         Assisting with job placement;

•         Resolving immigration issues;

•         Obtaining benefits;

•         Re-establishing family connections; and

•         Connecting our clients with available resources in the Bronx and New York City, such as SoBro, the Fortune Society, Osborne Association and the Doe Foundation. 

 

We support our clients for up to a three-year period after their release, encouraging them to give back to the programs that support them and serve as mentors to newly released individuals. We also compile statistics relating to recidivism, thereby allowing us to assess the success of the program and, where necessary, modify it to be more supportive.