SPECIAL PROJECTS

Collaborative Justice Project:

Reducing Recidivism

The PBI Collaborative Justice ProjectTM is an innovative initiative that brings together representatives from different sectors of the community to develop and implement a measurable plan to reduce persistent and critical societal problems that impact some of the most vulnerable in our society.

PBI convened the first Collaborative Justice Project in Minnesota, deploying stakeholders from more than 25 organizations to reduce recidivism and dramatically improve the experiences and outcomes of formerly incarcerated men and women to enable them to lead full and productive lives in their communities.

An all-volunteer Steering Committee leads the Minnesota Collaborative Justice Project (MNCJP) and includes representatives from corporations, law firms, government agencies, and non-profit organizations in Minnesota, as well as men and women who were formally incarcerated.

To achieve the Project goals, the Steering Committee identified inter-related focus areas and formed working groups tasked to develop and implement action plans to remove the common barriers to reentry.

To learn more about the MNCJP, visit www.mncjreentry.org or contact MNCJP at reentry@probonoinst.org.

The mission of the MNCJP is to dramatically improve the experiences and outcomes of the formerly incarcerated in Minnesota and enable them to lead full and productive lives in the community. The key pillars of MNCJP are:

Reentry Planning. MNCJP offers programming to incarcerated individuals prior to release to promote and develop post release success. Through the Project Connect program, MNCJP helps incarcerated people plan for a life after prison.

Access to Services. MNCJP increases access to employment, housing, and legal services, to promote fuller and healthier lives. Through the Civil Legal Needs Initiative, MNCJP addresses common barriers that impede successful reentry for individuals returning to the community.

Policy and Advocacy. MNCJP advocates for changes to policies, rules, and legislation that create system-wide barriers to successful reentry. Through research, outreach, and convening, MNCJP engages with community partners to facilitate largescale change.

The Collaborative Justice Project has seen results in Minnesota and plans to broaden the impact of this important work to include other jurisdictions and areas of focus. Through the work of this program, PBI plans to develop strategies that will inform similar efforts in other communities around the country, with a special emphasis on access to justice and social justice issues.

To support this initiative, or contribute your time and expertise, please contact PBI President and CEO Eve Runyon.

View the MNCJP website.

MNCJP works with several strategic partners that provide guidance, offer resources, and support programming that drives the work of the project.

  • District of Minnesota Reentry Court. The federal court system for the District of Minnesota operates a Reentry Court program, which seeks to reduce recidivism rates among formerly incarcerated people. People at the highest risk of re-offending are provided with resources and support to help prevent their return to prison. Through its Civil Legal Needs Initiative, MNCJP provides pro bono legal assistance to participants in Minnesota’s reentry court.
  • Central Minnesota Legal Services
  • Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath
  • U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services
  • Volunteer Lawyers Network

 

MNCJP works with a number of community partners, to meet its mission and help improve reentry. These partners include representatives from:

  • 3M Company
  • Adult Corrections Facility, Hennepin County
  • All Square
  • Central Minnesota Legal Services
  • Community Representatives
  • Dorsey & Whitney
  • Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath
  • Federal Bureau of Prisons
  • Fourth Judicial District, Hennepin County
  • Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota
  • HOME Line
  • Koch Industries
  • Legal Rights Center
  • Minnesota Department of Corrections
  • Minnesota Department of Human Services
  • Minnesota Supreme Court
  • Montage Reentry Solutions
  • Portico Healthnet
  • Pro Bono Institute
  • The Redemption Project
  • Robins Kaplan
  • Stephen’s Human Services
  • Target Corporation
  • Ujamma Place
  • Urban Ventures
  • U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota
  • U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services
  • Volunteer Lawyers Network
  • Volunteer of America – Minnesota

PROJECT GOAL

To reduce the number of formerly incarcerated individuals who return to prison for a new offense or a technical violation within five years from the day they were released from federal or state prison.