Introduction

In November of 2005 the Stark County Court of Common Pleas organized service providers, employers and the faith-based community to coordinate community-planning efforts for the Stark County Reentry Initiative. As a result, a Reentry Strategic Plan was developed in June of 2006 and the Stark County Reentry Court was established in September of 2006 with the endorsement of the Stark County Community Corrections Planning Board. The goal of the Stark County Reentry Court is to reduce recidivism (the rate at which individuals return to prison) by providing transitional support with judicial oversight to felony offenders returning from state and county institutions to Stark County. Transitional support includes assistance with employment and housing and connections to programs and services that provide mentoring, anger management, chemical dependency treatment and sex offender treatment.

Eligibility

Reentry Court staff will provide referrals for assistance to any returning offender; however, to be entered into the Reentry Court program, returning offenders must be on probation or parole and must be referred to the Stark County Reentry Court by a Judge or probation/parole officer.  At the time of referral, a risk assessment is administered to determine Reentry Court eligibility.  

Staff

The Court of Common Pleas presently employs four Reentry Court staff: a director, coordinator, employment specialist, and a specialist. Reentry Court sessions are presided over by a Judge of the Stark County Court of Common Pleas and a hearing officer with the Adult Parole Authority assists the Judge in conducting the court sessions.

Description

The Reentry Court Program is a yearlong program and has four phases:

  • Pre-release: Begins at the time of sentencing and as resources allow, consists of periodic contact with individuals while they are incarcerated in order to determine progress toward goals, to coordinate with case managers to prepare for release and to determine familial issues that need to be addressed.
  • Phase I: Begins when the individual is released from the correctional institution. During this phase, individuals meet with the Reentry staff on a weekly basis. There are referrals to community agencies and individual progress is closely monitored. The individuals in this phase are eligible for bus passes and housing assistance. During this phase, individuals also appear before the Reentry Court Judge on a weekly to monthly basis to encourage progress or address poor program compliance. Probation/parole officers enforce needed sanctions. This phase is approximately four weeks long, and individuals may advance to Phase II if they complete the requirements and are employed. Individuals who receive social security benefits or who are full-time students may also advance to the next phase
  • Phase II: Individuals maintain the same requirements but meet with Reentry staff on a bi-weekly basis, and appear before the Reentry Court Judge on a monthly basis. Phase II is approximately 24 weeks long and an individual may advance to Phase III once all requirements are met.
  • Phase III: Prepares the individual for a successful transition to the community and graduation from the program and is approximately 24 weeks long. Each individual will be monitored for up to two years post-release (from Phase I start date) to determine the recidivism rate of the Reentry Court program.

From the North (Cleveland, Akron)
Take I-77 South to exit 105 for OH-172/Tuscarawas St. toward Downtown
Turn left on to Tuscarawas St.
Slight right onto 3rd St. SW
Turn left onto Cleveland Ave. SW
(Destination is on the left at the corner of Cleveland Ave. SW and 2nd St. SW)

From the South (New Philadelphia, Cambridge)
Take I-77 North to exit 103 for OH-800 S/Cleveland Ave.
Turn left onto Cleveland Ave. SW
(Destination is on the left at the corner of Cleveland Ave. SW and 2nd St. SW)

From the East (Alliance, Louisville)
Take Route 62 West to I-77 South/US-62 West
Merge onto I-77 S/US 62W
Take exit 105 for OH-172/Tuscarawas St. toward Downtown
Turn left on to Tuscarawas St.
Slight right onto 3rd St. SW
Turn left onto Cleveland Ave. SW
(Destination is on the left at the corner of Cleveland Ave. SW and 2nd St. SW)

From the West (Wooster, Mansfield)
Take US 30 East toward Canton
Take OH-43 N/Cherry Ave. SE
Turn Left onto 2nd St. SE
Take 2nd St. to Cleveland Ave. SW
(Destination is on the left at the corner of Cleveland Ave. SW and 2nd St. SW)

From Columbus
Take I-71 North (signs for Cleveland)
Take exit 176 to merge onto US 30 E toward Wooster
Through Wooster, continue on US 30 East toward Canton
Take OH-43 N/Cherry Ave. SE
Turn Left onto 2nd St. SE
Take 2nd St. to Cleveland Ave. SW
(Destination is on the left at the corner of Cleveland Ave. SW and 2nd St. SW)

Parking:

Metered parking is available around the perimeter of the building.

Reentry Court Frequently Asked Questions

No.Individuals must be eligible for and entered into the Reentry Court Program in order to be placed in a job, receive a housing placement or to be given a bus pass if funding is available for these services at that time.  Additionally, participants must complete an employment class before a job placement can take place; however, referrals for any available services from other agencies can be given to any returning offender.

No.When you sign up for Reentry Court you are not guaranteed early release.

Talk to your probation/parole officer.  They can refer you to the Reentry Court if they feel it is appropriate for you.

No. If you are ordered to complete Reentry Court by a Judge or probation/parole officer, it is  required of you to be monitored by Reentry Court staff for the duration of the Reentry Court program, which lasts for approximately one year.

No.Although the Honorable Charles E. Brown, Jr. established both, they are two different entities. The Stark County Reentry Coalition is the task force for the county, which is comprised of various organizations with the purpose of collaboration and coordination of services and education among participating agencies and the community.  It is also a source of information for available training and funding sources.  The Reentry Court is one of the participating organizations of the Reentry Coalition. For more information about the Reentry Coalition, call (330) 451-7737.