Note: please note that this profile of a policy option or program model should (a) link back to the issue overview on this topic, (b) be focused either the local, state, national, or global level, and (c) be neutrally presented, based on facts, and include footnotes for each of the items.  See the Research Guide and Information Sources to assist you.

 

This policy option or model program profile relates to the following issue overview(s):

• Prisoner Re-Entry  

 

Summary   

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Opportunities, Alternatives & Resources (OAR) of Fairfax County, Inc. is a local non-profit restorative justice organization providing human services since 1971. OAR’s mission is to rebuild lives and break the cycle of crime with opportunities, alternatives, and resources for offenders and their families to create a safer community. 

     OAR’s history has its roots in the highest principles of human rights, and the most practical applications of a community’s enlightened self-interest and citizen action. Its origins can be traced to a 1968 prison strike at the State Penitentiary in Richmond, Virginia. In response, several local churches convened a conference on Churches and the Correctional System. Following that effort, Jay Worrall, Jr. founded the OAR movement, which at the time stood for Offender Aid and Restoration. It was his vision of citizen visitors helping jail inmates that formed the original premise for the creation of OAR organizations around the country.

      In September 1970, Offender Aid and Restoration of Virginia received its articles of incorporation. In 1971, the Fairfax OAR was established, and in 1973, Worrall opened the national office. At the height of the movement there were 22 local agencies in 10 states. Today there remain eight local OAR affiliates, four of which are in Virginia, who have emerged as viable non-profit organizations with expanded missions and service delivery areas. In 1998, OAR of Fairfax County voted to change its name from Offender Aid and Restoration to do business as “Opportunities, Alternatives & Resources” in order to better reflect the organization’s mission and goals. 

OAR Fairfax works to support not only those incarcerated but the family members affected by the situation and therefore has programs that provide a space for families and friends to come for support, advice, and a listening ear. 

 

 

Goal   

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• OAR Fairfax seeks to break the cycle of crime with opportunity specific to the needs of the individual. The organization is constantly creating, transitioning, and expanding their programs (see below) to best fit the needs of today's prison population. OAR Fairfax is a 2009 grantee of the Second Chance Act  for non-profits to create or expand effective prison reentry mentoring programs as mechanism to reduce crime rates, recidivism, and hopelessness applied to those released from prison or drug abuse.
• What sets OAR Fairfax apart from the other model programs (Boaz & Ruth & Delancey Street) is they are starting locally and building larger reentry,mentoring, and transitional programs under the Delancey Street model through the Second Chance Act for Non-profits. OAR Fairfax's program growth serves as a component to their current programs and the organizations intentions are to remain within the northern towns of Virginia. OAR Fairfax has created an ideal boundary for their client base and would like to create business ventures and transitional housing for recovering ex-offenders on a county wide scale, making a large impact throughout norther Virginia, educating, preparing, and renewing the communities' support for reentry services. Through programs that offer one-on-one relationships between volunteers and inmates, inmate support groups,  assistance with finding employment, and educational training programs, the goal(s) of OAR Fairfax are to:

 

• To work closely with surrounding community partners to break barriers and motivate sucessful reintergration of indivudals impacted by the criminal justice system.
• To create vocational, educational, and rehabilitate training programs that together will culminate into the development and launching of a business training school in which former inmates can become stakeholders. 
•  Work to incorporate the Delancey Street San Francisco program model into the organizations current plans expansion plans of employment training opportunities, residential support, and mentoring. 
• To Provide a variety of reentry services such as community service restitution, transitional employment, alternatives to sentencing, and resources for conquering substance abuse and overcoming poverty for offenders, ex-offenders, and their families in the Northern Virginia Region. 
• Mentoring services through OAR will now be aimed specifically towards those who are near release.  The mentoring relationship will continue post release to provide support as the client transitions from incarceration to self sufficiency in the community.  Recidivism studies show that many individuals return to incarceration within three years of their release.  OAR’s newly designed mentoring program will provide a positive and supportive network for clients that reduce the challenges associated with release and builds a foundation for ongoing success.  OAR’s new mentoring program is a 15 month (24 months for Beacon clients) mentoring program created to provide transitional support to ex-offenders as they move from incarceration to the community.  The goal is for the mentoring relationship to begin when the client is within 3 months of his/her release and will continue for a total period of 15 months.  The OAR mentoring program was developed utilizing empirical results from the mentoring literature featured in the OAR Handbook on Mentoring. 
• The main objective of OAR Fairfax mentoring is "to establish and maintain a mentoring relationship with an offender. The relationship will start while the mentee is detained at the Fairfax ADC or AIB and will continue post release for a maximum one year period. The mentoring relationship should help the client prepare to successfuly return to society, create reason to avoid criminal behavior, and support the clients efforts to find employment as a part of the OAR Work Empowerment Program."^[1]

 

 

 

 

 

Cost   

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• OAR Fairfax is currently in the process of expanding their programs under the Second Chance Act to model the Delancey Street model and increase the number of participants. Program cost per-person are currently unavailable because of the current program modifications and growth within programs taking place.
• As a whole OAR Fairfax has received $300,000.00 in 2009 from the Second Chance Grant, to create a prison mentorship program and plans to reapply for a second term of funding. The funds for this grant have mostly been utilized to expand the Beacon as well as the Work Empowerment program which consist of both mentoring during incarceration as well post incarceration, employment training,  and transitional housing services. 
• Between 2007-2008 OAR allocated $1,206,135.00 to their four primary programs which are Transitional & Family Services, Alternative & Sentencing, Education & Training, and the Beach Rehabilitative training program. 
• OAR Fairfax County 2009 Tax Form 990 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Implementation    describe how the policy or program is implemented (esp. who, how) 

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• The organization has a set out a "project timeline" as proposal for the use of funds received through the  Second Chance Grant for non-profits. They have utilized grant funding such as the Second Chance funds ($300,000.000) to expand their current programs titled the Beacon, and Work Empowerment Program, all  towards the employment training, mentoring relationships, and providing adequate housing to released prisoners.
• OAR Fairfax is currently in the process of creating programs such as a  one-on-one mentoring  for ex-offenders. As with many prison reentry organizations, in order to implement their program OAR works to  identify the barriers and common issues amongst program participants, recruitment, and what needs to be done of successful mentoring to occur. Like many reentry services the organization works to break down labeling and allow the community to integrate with the returning offender population. Volunteers with OAR are able to build one-on-one mentoring relationships, work with families of the incarcerated, and help to train individuals on social, professional, and employment skills which better integrates ex-offenders into the community population. 
• The OAR model can be referenced as a guide to the introductory steps of creating a prison reentry program. 
• Please See Program Proposal. 

 

•  OAR’s Beacon reentry program was created in part to provide a residential resource because of  the chronic impediments associated with housing this population. The organizations grant application for the Second Chance Act list their intended objectives for how OAR programs are implemented: 
•  Family Stress and  Reunification Issues: Studies show numerous negative consequences of incarceration on the families and children left behind. Family ties during incarceration are often strained.  Parents returning from incarceration and attempting to reunite with children or spouses may feel intrusive and may be marginalized by his or her primary support network.  There is also a challenging period of having to find a job, become self-sufficient and “prove oneself” to create a new life after incarceration.  To help families, OAR offers direct aid for emergencies, sponsors a bi-monthly family support group, and posts volunteers in the jail lobby to help families in crisis with reunification support, counseling, and even school supplies/christmas gifts.  Jurisdiction/community to be served: Fairfax County, VA 
•  Employment:  A collateral consequence of a criminal conviction is the impact on employability. Entering the labor market after incarceration or following a criminal conviction can present seemingly insurmountable challenges.  According to the Urban Institute, barriers include “supply-side” or the characteristics of the population itself (such as limited education, limited work experience and substance abuse), and “demand-side” or the characteristics of the labor market including a hesitation to hire ex- offenders. An array of laws and regulations has eliminated an estimated 300 job categories for employment by this population.  Many employers believe they may be held liable for criminal acts by their employees under the theory of negligent hiring; and research has found employers more willing to hire almost any other category of potential employees than the ex-offender.  In FY 2008, 168 OAR clients found employment, but only 23% remained employed more than 90 days. Clearly, more needs to be done to assist clients to not only find but retain employment. The organization  believes that by linking mentors to participants in OAR’s Work Empowerment Program through grants such as the Second Chance Fund, OAR will be able to improve the rate of job retention. Since this is a county wide organization, it is easier to keep close connections with the surrounding communities, organizations, and businesses that may be willing to offer employment opportunity. 
• Housing: In addiction to the bleak employment group, individuals in the ex-offender population face tremendous barriers in securing adequate housing. In FYI OAR assisted 233 individuals experiencing the housing crisis. Due to the chronic hesistation to provide ex-offenders with housing the Beacon OAR program works to be a residential resource for the prison population. This is done by the organization using funds to purchase transitional housing for the residents in their programs. 
• Information taken from OAR FY 2009 Grant Application 

 

 

• Recruitment: OAR Fairfax has utilized community partners as successful recruitment opportunities for mentors. The organization keep close connection with county police departments, the Virginia Department of Corrections, and organizations such as United Way to continue to open opportunity for their clients and solicit a mentor data base through mailing list and the annual report submissions. Resources such as church affiliations, civic organizations, and the creation of county wide volunteer networks has made the recruitment process a little easier for the organization.
• John Callaghan, Director of Communication for OAR Fairfax, says that by utilizing a newsletter as advertisement for mentors has worked in the past as well as targeting retired government workers who are willing to provide services to the organization. 
• Guide to Training, Recruitment, and Program Success: OAR Fairfax has a mentor training agenda in which they feel is necessary to recruit, train, and inform potential program mentors of the ways to be an effective mentor.  During this introductory session the directors of the organization present the theory of the program, an overview of the program, and a guide for successful outcomes and important considerations to being a mentor for ex-offenders. OAR staff have also created a life of roles and responsiblities to better guide the mentor/mentee relationship. This list of duties sets proper strandard and eduactates beginning mentors on how to set boundaries with thier mentee but not discriminate or mistreat them. The list of roles are:

 

 

• All of these resources can be found in the OAR Fairfax Mentor Handbook which has been created to centralize resources on mentoring and allow mentors to have a tangible resource to utilize if conflict, confusion, disconnection to the organizations intentions should occur. The following is a list of  topics which OAR's mentor training sessions consist of as defined from the handbook : 
• Defining a Mentor.
• Description of Community Based Mentoring.
• Roles and Responsibilities of the Client. 
• Roles and Responsibilities of Mentors. 
• Mentor Meeting Logistics.
• Support and Supervision.
• Confidentiality Agreement.
• Boundaries.
• Goal Setting & Service Plans.
• Challenges of Mentoring High Risk Clients.
• Documentation of Meetings.  

 

• ****Mentor Handbook: Found Here*****

     

 

•  There are a series of "future trainings" which OAR Fairfax hopes to incorporate in their curriculum as necessary topics to cover in mentoring ex-offenders. The goal in providing mentor training for prison reentry programs is to cover as many of  the topics, concerns, and issues that can come up during the process and leave a mentor feeling confused or in an uncomfortable situation. Issues such as how to end the relationship, setting appropriate boundaries, or setting realistic expectations are topics that the OAR feels are important to creating effective mentoring. 
•  Program Implementation: Curriculum: OAR currently offers a jail based mentoring program for over 70 inmates- 18 years or older, who are housed in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (ADC). The “Release Planning Class” offers services such as group counseling, preparation for release, and supportive goal setting for individuals. OAR's new mentoring program is a 15 month mentoring program created to provide transitional support to ex-offenders. The mentoring relationship begins within three months of his/her release and will continue for a total of 15 months-where meetings times and dates are arranged with the prison, OAR staff, and the availability of the mentor. The mentoring component of the OAR program is one-on-one service where the two individuals are able to build a trusting, supportive, and motivational relationship where together they can set goals and a service plan to attain goals. ^[2]
• Their programs, through mentoring, seek to teach individuals to think and feel differently about thier life experiences so that new priorities can be made: 

• By focusing on "Cognitive Restructuring"-intensive coaching from mentors to help in developing work and relationship skills through social interactions and activities that focus on goal setting and priorities, allows participants to grow within their own independence and take personal responsibly for their actions. 

• OAR teaches programs that promote readiness and independence: the organizations Work Empowerment Program (WEP) educates participants through workshops that teach topics such as resume writing, employment training, and peer support throughout the process. All programs are under the "each one, teach one" mentality which encourages learning from each other and developing team-based skills. Lessons also include adult literacy and educational opportunities (G.E.D.) and services that motivate family unification. 

• Through the Beach Program Initiative, participants are required to sign a program behavior and expectation code and create an individualized service plan that puts their goals, priorities, and responsibleness in writing for them to reflect and evaluate throughout their transition of the program. 
•  Upon completion, The Beacon participants will be equipped with the resources needed for succesful community reentry including the means to prevent recididivism, avoid relaspe, maintain employment, remain self-sufficient, improve family relationships, and continue the process of productive community reintegration.^[3] These resources consist of housing support, employment assistance, and social skills through mentoring. 
• all program information taken from OAR Fairfax Reentry Program Fact sheet. 

 

 

 

The Organization now seeks to establish an advanced addition to their current programs called the Work Empowerment Program, which will target participants of OAR’s pre-release prison mentoring course. This approach focuses mentoring resources on those inmates most likely to be returning to the immediate community. A target group (prisoners already enrolled in OAR) are assumed most likely to stick with the OAR programs benefit from the transitional services offered.

 

The target population of the program are inmates who are being released in 6 months to one year, which qualifies them for a  Release Planning Class. This is the beginning of the mentoring process when inmates can meet and start a service plan with their mentor, mapping out their goals for release. Additionally, this population is considered easier to track and report outcomes since these participants are directly engaged with the organization's programs pre-and-post prison release. Maintaining mentoring in and outside of prison builds hope, trust, and allows the inmate to feel supported throughout their transition.

OAR’s in-prison mentoring consist of weekly visits from a trained volunteer who seeks to offer guidance, support for goal setting, and decision making. The mentor keeps record of each visit and try’s to build greater success with the inmate on a weekly basis. OAR believes that goal setting and delayed gratification skills are essential to ultimate self-sufficiency and that proposed mentoring programs that start inside prison should offer a continuum of such services. Since OAR seeks to offer prison mentoring post release, their services also include training on victim issues and how to effectively end the mentoring relationship.

In order for the mentor to access the progress of their participant, the mentor scores the participant at the beginning of the program (usually during incarceration) and shortly after their release from prison. The mentor rates the progress of the participant on: 

 

• The level of progress, effort, and responsiblity taken towards acheving identified goals from the beginning of the program. 
• The participants efforts with maintaining communication with their mentor, attending meetings, being on time, and contributing willingness towards building a relationship.
• Notifying the mentor or OAR staff  of any changes in contact, address, or program participation. 
• Following through on service plan goals such as job searching, attending support meetings, and transitional employment programs.
• Their growth from the beginning of the program such as taking responsibility for their actions, remaining clear of criminal behavior, and staying on the right track post incarceration.  

 

      

 

Evaluation    summarize any evaluation findings that policy or program effectiveness

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•  OAR makes a difference in our entire community. Statistics clearly show that the organization's current criminal justice system approach to incarceration does little to eliminate crime or create safer communities. Recidivism affects not only the offender, but also the victim of the crime, the children and family of the offender, taxpayers and the community as a whole. OAR of Fairfax County provides opportunities, alternatives and resources to rebuild lives and reduce recidivism. 

 

•   Highlights of OAR’s Impact (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009) 

 

• 3,293 total clients served; 214clients were homeless

• 128 volunteers contributed 8,684 hours, a 38% increase from FY 2008, valued at $178,283
• Skills classes: 1,344 participants                                               
• Employment services: 537 clients                                              
• Mentoring: 56 clients                                                     
• Impact of Crime Class: 127 participants
• Family outreach (jail lobby): 1,342 service units                                    
• Violence Intervention Classes: 139 with 83% success rate
• Community service: 743 placements; value: $540,495 in deferred jail costs
• The Beacon program added three new participants; recidivism was 0%

 

• The Organization's website features area's of research that has determined "key findings" in the prison population OAR serves. These outcomes has helped OAR Fairfax shape their programming to fit the needs and qualifications of their current/incoming participants:  
•  Restorative Justice Practices in Fairfax County
•  Virginia Recidivism Study 
•  Focus on Family and Fatherhood: Lessons from Fairfax County’s Responsible Fatherhood Programfor Incarcerated Dads
•  Key Findings  in the GMU Inmate Study for OAR Fairfax, accessed the following questions:
• 1) Can moral emotion(shame and guilt) help predict criminal recidivism? 
• 2)  Can interventions targeted at moral emotions help reduce the rate of recidivism?  

 

 

 

Status    indicate whether this policy or program has been adopted in more locations or remains a proposal 

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• This unique organization has plans to expand their programs. Though OAR Fairfax has considered programs such as Delancey Street San Francisco in their growth plans, the organizations continues to target Northern Virginia Fairfax County for their client population. The organization has plans to continue to use the Second Chance Grant for non-profits as opportunity to develop a more advanced prison reentry program in Fairfax County which they have titled the Beacon Program. The Second Chance Grant has allowed OAR Fairfax to recruit more staff, rent a home for program participants, and expand their programs to offer more services in employment, housing, and counseling support through mentoring.  
• Please See:OARAnnualReport2009.pdf  
• OAR Fairfax takes over 1,000 participants each year who are offered a variety of services and programming through the organization department of Alternative Senceting and Court Programs, Education and Training, Impact of Crime, Transition & Family Services, Prerelease Prison Programs (VASAVOR), Beacon, and Family Support Groups.  
• Currently in order to expand and grow community knowledge for the ex-offender services, the organization has encouraged  agencies to conduct research and evaluate the challenges of the prison reentry population. For example,  students from George Mason University have worked with OAR Fairfax in conducting  research on the prison population in order to access ways to better service this complex community. These students looked at the level of emotional factors such as shame, low empathy, or aggression  contribute to criminality and what interventions (out of a population of 446 previously incarcerated individuals) combat recidivism the most. 
• Please See GMU Inmate Study on Offender Moral Emotions and Interventions . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Point of View    

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• Recent Employment Success Stories from OAR of Fairfax County Clients-taken directly from OAR website. ^[4][5]
•  Our new client, "Matt," came to the Work Empowerment Program (WEP) orientation workshop in January. He told us that felt inspired after leaving the workshop, and while still wearing the dress shirt and tie that he wore to Orientation earlier that day, he approached the manager of a restaurant where he had stopped for lunch.  Matt explained that he used some of the techniques outlined in the WEP orientation and convinced the manager to hire him on the spot.
•   "Randy" stopped by the office this month and told staff he had landed a 
  position with a telecommunications contractor and is a new sales associate going through a paid training program.  During his visit, he shared that he learned a lot from the two Work Empowerment Program workshops and applied OAR’s interviewing tips.  He also commented that the resume he  developed with his case manager's help was what got him in the door for the interview.
• "Steve" a client that OAR has been actively working with since last summer, secured a 
  position at a commercial cleaning company in the area. Though Steve said he continues to look for a permanent home and a car, he feels blessed to have a job and thanks OAR staff for helping him. 
•   The manager at pizza chain shop called to tell us he is extremely pleased to report that  both "Kevin" and "Jerry" are excellent employees and great men. He expects each of  them to continue with the chain long term.   

 

 

"I am better for having listened, for attending, and for completing the course. OAR continues to provide outstanding services for individuals in need of a change."-"Scott", OAR class participant 

 

 

Contact   

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• John Callaghan, Dev. & Communications Director
• (703)-246-3184

 

• OAR of Fairfax County, Inc.
• 10640 Page Ave., Suite 250

 

 

Bibliography    link to any additional readings or websites related to this policy or program 

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• Mentor Handbook, OAR of Fairfax County, Inc. 2010.  
• OAR of Fairfax County, Inc. Second Chance Action for Non-profit Organizations, FY 2009 Grant Application. 
• OAR Fairfax County, website and publications,  http://www.oarfairfax.org/research 
• John Callaghan, Development and Communications Director,  Interview. July 27, 2010. 

Footnotes

1. Mentor Handbook, OAR Fairfax County, Inc. 2010. ▲
2. Mentor Handbook. OAR of Fairfax County, Inc. 2010 ▲
3. http://www.oarfairfax.org/services/beacon ▲
4. http://www.oarfairfax.org/oars-impact ▲
5. http://www.oarfairfax.org/impact--success-stories ▲