Effort Made to Help Prisoners Return to Society

They’ve done the crime, served the time, and now the State Corrections Department is trying to make sure former prisoners don’t become repeat offenders. The agency’s Julie Boehm says once prisoners leave their prisons, they still need help. To that end, the Governor has signed an executive order that makes permanent a steering committee consisting of representatives from the Corrections Department, the Health Department, Social Services Department, and others, that looks for ways to make former prisoners good citizens. Boehm believes the state could see a reduction of at least 12 percent a year in repeat offenders if the right help is offered to former prisoners.