Division of Criminal Justice Services

Offender Reentry Task Force Initiative

DCJS provides counties across New York State with grants to establish County Reentry Task Forces (CRTF), which devise community-specific offender reentry strategies and coordinate services for offenders who are released from prison.

The grant funds allow counties to employ reentry coordinators who work with a diverse group of agencies - including police departments, community supervision agencies, mental health and social service providers - to identify gaps in service and provide coordinated services to offenders at a high risk of recidivism with needs such as housing, employment and substance abuse treatment.

County Reentry Task Forces operate in the following counties: Albany, Broome, Dutchess, Erie, Kings, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Rensselaer, Rockland, Schenectady, Suffolk, Ulster, Upper Manhattan, and Westchester.

DCJS and the state work in partnership with each CRTF to identify moderate and high-risk offenders who need services.

Through the County Reentry Task Forces, those individuals receive coordinated services which aid their transition back into their communities.

The roles and activities of the County Reentry Task Forces are guided by three goals:

  • Goal 1. Strategic planning for reentry and the jurisdiction and system-wide collaboration
    1. Identify gaps in services that are required to reduce the risk of reoffending
    2. Identify barriers to accessing available services to reduce the risk of reoffending
    3. Develop strategies to reduce the identified gaps and eliminate barriers, by collaborating with county officials, local service agencies and program providers
  • Goal 2. Individual case management
    1. Work with local parole to target individuals returning to the community who present high risk of reoffending
    2. Assess needs related to reoffending
    3. Address needs through case management
  • Goal 3. Public outreach and/or education efforts