In the effort to address recidivism and crime reduction, the Commission adopted the Transition from Jail to Community (TJC) model in 2008, serving as an initial site for carrying out the model. The TJC model, instituted through the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and the Urban Institute, emphasizes reentry as a process for offenders that begins when the offender is arrested and carried out through the time he/she is released back into the community. The model supports reentry as a “system” of offender services that includes collaborative efforts and coordinating services between system-based and community-based providers. To ensure appropriate and effective practices of the TJC initiative, the Commission, with the training and coaching assistance and support of NIC and the Urban Institute, has established several working groups around the initiative, including: data evaluation, screening and assessment, programs and case planning, and sustainability.
The TJC model can be briefly summarized by the following 5 components that have been identified as essential to successful jail to community transition. These include:
- Coordinated leadership, vision and organizational culture
- Collaborative structure and joint ownership
- Data-driven understanding of local issues
- Targeted intervention strategies, including: screening and assessment, transition plan development, and tailored intervention strategies
- Self-evaluation and sustainability
Many of the jail processes in Denver have either been established or restructured based on the TJC model. Current processes around the TJC model in Denver include: Denver County Jail Life Skills, the Community Reentry Project, Mental Health Transition Units, Frequent Users Service Enhancements program (FUSE), Recovery in a Secure Environment (RISE), medications upon release (GAP funds), and other work around special populations that are in progress.
Other TJC tools/links:
Or, contact Shelley Siman at 720-913-6608