POLICY

State funds should be allocated to help establish new transitional housing or halfway houses for ISR cases, low functioning adults, the mentally ill, and other special needs offenders who lack available housing or require a structured living environment.  Ideally, this type of housing would be established within regions around the state.  Collaboration between public and private agencies and between state and local officials is needed to find solutions for these problems. MCA recognizes the need to coordinate our efforts in collaboration with the Department of Corrections Housing Program Manager.  A new housing model has been developed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections Transitional Housing Program.  The program is designed to fund housing for female offenders.  Funding is available from 30 to 90 days and is available on a state-wide basis.

BACKGROUND

Lack of safe housing affects community safety:

Probation officers are limited as to what services they can provide to high-risk offenders who may lack available housing and transitional programming.

There is a growing population of high-risk offenders with no housing. Motel rooms and the back seats of automobiles do not provide safe living environments for offenders or communities.

Placing high-risk offenders in settings or locations with limited supervision compromises public safety. When offenders are released from jails and prisons, they need shelter and supervision.

There are too few long term or transitional housing programs in Minnesota to assist the mentally ill. Mentally ill offenders often fail to follow a medication regimen or participate in the required mental health programming because of a lack of stable housing.

Recidivism could be reduced with more available structured or transitional living arrangements

Low functioning adults and offenders in need of mental health services who are on supervision comprise a growing segment of offenders who are frequently ineligible to receive housing assistance or special services.

Offenders who experience multiple problems would benefit from a structured living environment that provides job training, education, counseling, fiscal management, transportation assistance, and other support services.

The development of additional transitional housing will enhance public safety, provide better offender accountability, and facilitate the transition of the offenders to the community setting.

Transitional housing is a key to solving this problem. 

Jail and prison costs can be reduced through effective programming and appropriate housing.

Financial incentives should be available to communities to make halfway houses or transitional housing more fiscally attractive.

State and local probation officers should have access to funds to pay for emergency housing for certain offenders who have completed their term of commitment, including some who may have served their state time in a local jail

Other jurisdictions have had success:

Chicago saved $1,073,000 per year on a housing program to assist mentally ill offenders.

NYC saved over $3,000,000 over a two year period on jail and prison beds with appropriate housing for the homeless and mentally ill.

For more information, contact:
Mary Ann Mowatt (612/348-4001)
Cal Saari (218/885-1375)

11/10/07