For many men and women on probation or parole, the transition from incarceration to being law abiding and contributing members of society can be challenging. Many individuals in the criminal justice system struggle to find success.
On August 9, nearly 60 people were honored for achieving impressive personal goals and successfully overcoming many challenges as they graduated from the Placer County Re-Entry Program (PREP). The men and women in the celebration’s spotlight completed core components of an innovative program to help them make successful transitions back into their communities.
PREP—one of the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Adult Re-Entry Programs—is a collaboration between SCOE, the Placer County Probation Department, the Placer County Sheriff’s Department, Placer County Health and Human Services, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The innovative program serves county probationers assessed to be at moderate or high risk of reoffending, and state parolees.
PREP began serving clients in May 2015. It provides life skills, academic support, employment readiness, and treatment-related programs designed to address the causes of offending behavior. Services are offered at the Placer County jails, the Placer County Probation Department, the Placer County Welcome Center shelter, the Gathering Inn shelter, and the PREP center in Auburn.
PREP Highlights
- Serves 200 clients at seven locations throughout Placer County
- Placer School for Adults provides daily GED instruction
- Placer County Health and Human Services provides weekly drug and alcohol assessments
- Golden Sierra grant has helped place 20 clients into full-time employment
- Northern California Construction Training provides pre-apprenticeship vocational training
- With this graduation, PREP has now graduated nearly 175 clients
PREP partners provide services such as GED preparation, domestic violence intervention, and substance abuse classes. Additionally, clients receive assistance with determining benefits eligibility, child support, HIV/STD testing, veterans outreach, and other public resources.