Missouri’s new governor hopes to reduce recidivism

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Missouri’s new governor set a goal to reduce the number of people reoffending after they get out of prison.

Within minutes of swearing in, Missouri’s new Governor, Mike Kehoe, signed an executive order commanding the Department of Corrections to assemble a board that will review and revise the state’s parole rules. These rules have not been updated since 2017.

State officials said it’s too soon to know what implementing this executive order will look like, but blueprints are being drawn up right now. The Department of Corrections faces an October 1 deadline to complete a report on reducing recidivism.

The other executive orders issued are:

— Create new regional operation to arrest known criminals

— Provide state grants to local law enforcement

— Train select officers to assist federal efforts to find illegal immigrants

— Collect immigration data on those charged with crimes

— Reduce time required to reach top salary with Missouri State Highway Patrol

The Reentry Opportunity Center in Columbia helps those fresh out of prison reacclimate. It’s one of five state-funded facilities of its kind in Missouri. Director Jessica Chambers helps them build resumes, apply for jobs and find transportation.

“We don’t give them a handout,” Chambers said. “We give them a hand up so they can make it in the community here.”

For Chambers, it’s personal. She watched many of her family members go to jail growing up. However, through her six years of helping people readjust to life after prison, Chambers is proud every time she sees someone succeed.

“It does move to heart to see somebody be able to overcome the struggles of being attached with the stigma that comes with being incarcerated,” Chambers said.

Not everyone can be so fortunate, though. Within three years of getting out of prison, 31.6% of Missouri offenders find themselves back behind bars, according to a report from the Missouri Dept. of Corrections.

The good news is that Missouri’s recidivism rate has decreased more than 10% over the last 10 years, according to Department of Corrections data. Chambers believes places like the ROC help.

“Having a support system is the best thing that people getting out of prison could do in order to stay from going back so to keep that recidivism rate going down,” Chambers said.

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