2019 ACA Boston Program Book_149th Congress of Correction

C-1E Unshackling Potential Through Prison Postsecondary Education

C-1F Model Jail Diversion in Harris County, Texas Room 206 In 44 states, a jail or prison holds more mentally ill individuals than the largest remaining state psychiatric hospital. Individuals with psychiatric diseases like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are 10 times more likely to be in a jail or prison than a hospital bed. The Harris County Jail is

Room 203 Support for prison postsecondary education expands and contracts with the dominant political ideology of the times, despite growing evidence that it improves the chances for successful prisoner reentry in terms of reduced recidivism and increased employment opportunities and wages. The Boston University Prison Education Program, implemented in 1972, has survived the political ebb and flow of correctional policy change, due in large part to the enduring commitment of its stakeholders. In this workshop, the presenters will discuss the research on the effectiveness of college behind bars, strategies for collaboration between correctional agencies and institutions of higher education and innovative approaches for expanding a high-quality post. Objectives: Be familiar with the research on the effectiveness of postsecondary education for incarcerated individuals; understand strategies for the successful implementation of a college-level education program delivered inside a secure, walled facility; and identify emerging trends in the domain of prison education that enhance quality and expand services. Moderator: James Matesanz, Retired Superintendent, Massachusetts Department of Correction, Boston, Massachusetts Speakers: Carole Cafferty, Superintendent, The Educational Justice Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Massachusetts; Jamie Camacho, Director of Inmate Training & Education, Massachusetts Department of Correction, Milford, Massachusetts; Mary Ellen Mastrorilli, Ph.D., Associate Professor of the Practice, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts

the largest mental health facility in Texas. Diverting individuals with mental illness and psychosocial issues who have committed non-violent, low-level, nuisance-type crimes is one of the most important criminal justice issues today. The leaders of Houston/Harris County collaborated to address this issue and developed a model jail diversion program. Objectives: Explain the procedures and criteria for diverting suspects with mental illness or other psychosocial issues from the field into mental health treatment rather than incarceration; discuss the purpose and workings of the diversion desk in the new Houston/Harris County Joint Processing Center; and recall and state the number of people diverted from date of inception to current date. Moderator: Frank Webb, M.Ed., Project Manager, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Houston, Texas Speaker: Frank Webb, M.Ed., Project Manager, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Houston, Texas

Workshops Monday, Aug. 5 t 2–3:30 p.m.

106 — ACA 149 th Congress of Correction