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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 173
BY SENATOR BROWN
PUBLIC SFTY/CORRECT DEPT. Requests strategies to provide offenders committed to
the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and confined in parish correctional
facilities the necessary education, job skills and training, and needed behaviors, and to
provide needed mental health care to all offenders committed to the department, to facilitate
successful reentry upon release.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Reentry Advisory Council to identify strategies to afford offenders2
committed to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections who are confined in3
parish correctional facilities the support necessary to enhance education, job skills4
and training, and needed behaviors to facilitate successful reentry upon release5
pursuant to the Reentry Advisory Council and Offender Rehabilitation Workforce6
Development Act and to provide needed mental health care for all committed to the7
Department of Public Safety and Corrections in need of such services, whether8
confined to a state or parish correctional facility, all to facilitate successful reentry9
upon release, and to urge and request the secretary of the department to take steps to10
carry out such strategies.11
WHEREAS, R.S. 15:1199.1 through R.S. 15:1199.16 establishes and provides for12
the " Reentry Advisory Council and Offender Rehabilitation Workforce Development Act";13
and14
WHEREAS, as stated in that Act:15
(1) An essential component of reducing recidivism is providing an individual with16
the necessary occupational skills to afford him the opportunity to earn a living, support his17
family, and contribute to his community and that it is absolutely essential to provide proper18 SCR NO. 173
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substance abuse counseling, mentoring, and other programs to assist individuals as they1
return to their communities with a focus on breaking the cycle that prevents them from2
moving forward with their lives.3
(2) Successful offender reentry and reintegration into the community is a matter of4
critical importance to the public's safety, but reentry is often unsuccessful due to the barriers5
ex-offenders face upon release; these barriers include but are not limited to a lack of6
education and job skills, employment prohibition in selected occupations, mental health, and7
substance abuse problems, access to valid identification documents, child support8
enforcement regulations, access to public housing and other public benefits, and strained or9
fragile family and community ties.10
(3) The ability of ex-offenders to obtain employment after incarceration and become11
productive members of their communities is essential to reducing recidivism rates; however,12
successfully finding employment is often difficult due to the reluctance of many employers13
to hire individuals with criminal backgrounds.14
(4) Without successful reentry into the community, recidivism is likely to occur,15
causing detrimental effects to public safety, communities, families, taxpayer s, and16
ex-offenders.17
(5) Offender reentry is a crime prevention strategy, which serves to reduce crime and18
the number of crime victims and ultimately ensures opportunities for safer communities.19
(6) Successful reentry is also a cost-saving measure which results in savings to state20
and local criminal justice systems; and21
WHEREAS, many offenders committed to the Department of Public Safety and22
Corrections are in need of mental health services, whether confined to a state or parish23
correctional facility; and24
WHEREAS, the Reentry Advisory Council and Offender Rehabilitation Workforce25
Development Act was enacted with the goal of establishing a more systematic approach to26
identifying obstacles that impede successful reentry and developing and implementing27
effective reentry strategies that improve public safety; and28
WHEREAS, the legislature established the Reentry Advisory Council within the29
Department of Public Safety and Corrections as an advisory body to the secretary, who is30 SCR NO. 173
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tasked with the administration of the Act, and the legislature with the administration of the1
program as authorized by the Act; and2
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Act, an inmate rehabilitation and workforce3
development program has been developed and implemented for offenders committed to the4
Department of Public Safety and Corrections who are confined in state correctional facilities;5
and6
WHEREAS, as a large number of offenders that are committed to the Department7
of Public Safety and Corrections are confined in parish correctional facilities, it is essential8
to develop strategies, make recommendations, and implement the support necessary to9
enhance education, job skills and training, and needed behaviors, to facilitate successful10
reentry upon release.11
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby12
urge and request the Reentry Advisory Council to identify strategies to afford offenders13
committed to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections that are confined in parish14
correctional facilities the support necessary to enhance education, job skills and training, and15
needed behaviors and to provide needed mental health care for all committed to the16
department in need of such services, whether confined to a state or parish correctional17
facility, all to facilitate successful reentry upon release.18
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge19
and request the secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, pursuant to20
strategies identified by the Reentry Advisory Council, to take necessary steps to extend the21
inmate rehabilitation and workforce development program to offenders committed to the22
Department of Public Safety and Corrections that are confined in parish correctional23
facilities pursuant to the Reentry Advisory Council and Offender Rehabilitation Workforce24
Development Act and to provide needed mental health care for all committed to the25
department in need of such services, whether confined to a state or parish correctional26
facility.27
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of the Department of Public Safety28
and Corrections, with the assistance of the Reentry Advisory Council shall include in the29
annual report to the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice and the30 SCR NO. 173
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Senate Committee on Judiciary B required pursuant to R.S. 15:1199.5(F) all actions taken1
to provide support necessary to enhance education, job skills and training, and needed2
behaviors to facilitate successful reentry upon release to afford offenders committed to the3
Department of Public Safety and Corrections that are confined in parish correctional4
facilities and all actions taken to provide needed mental health care for all committed to the5
department in need of such services, whether confined to a state or parish correctional6
facility.7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the8
secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections and the Reentry Advisory9
Council.10
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
Brown SCR No.
Requests the Reentry Advisory Council (council) to identify strategies to afford offenders
committed to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPSC) that are confined in
parish correctional facilities the support necessary to enhance education, job skills and
training, and needed behaviors and to provide needed mental health care for all committed
to the DPSC in need of such services, whether confined to a state or parish correctional
facility, all to facilitate successful reentry upon release.
Requests DPSC secretary, pursuant to strategies identified by the council, to take necessary
steps to extend the inmate rehabilitation and workforce development program to offenders
committee to the custody of the department that are confined in parish correctional facilities
pursuant to the Reentry Advisory Council and Offender Rehabilitation Workforce
Development Act and to provide needed mental health care for all committed to the DPSC
in need of such services, whether confined to a state or parish correctional facility.
Requires that the DPSC secretary, with the assistance of the council, include in the annual
report to the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice and the Senate
Committee on Judiciary B required pursuant to R.S. 15:1199.5(F) all actions taken to
provide support necessary to enhance education, job skills and training, and needed
behaviors to facilitate successful reentry upon release to afford offenders committed to the
DPSC that are confined in parish correctional facilities and all actions taken to provide
needed mental health care for all committed to the DPSC in need of such services, whether
confined to a state or parish correctional facility.