About Us

CPR VISION
Every individual released from Alabama correctional facilities and criminal justice system supervision and their families have access to the tools and support needed to become law-abiding, productive citizens, able to participate in building healthy and safe communities.

CPR MISSION
Actively engage faith and community-based groups along with state government and local groups to implement a seamless, measurable and sustainable process of community reentry for previously incarcerated citizens.

CPR GOALS

1. Increase public safety by reducing recidivism rates
2. Increase community reentry success rates of ex-offenders
3. Increase dollars saved through successful transitions versus cost of re-incarceration
4. Promote community partnerships and information sharing
5. Promote prosperous communities by helping ex-offenders stay employed
6. Create a grassroots effort that mandates accountability at each level of the ex-offender community reentry process
7. Assist ex-offenders to become taxpaying citizens able to sustain themselves
8. Increase community reentry partnerships among community, state and local governments and faith-based organizations

CPR PRINCIPLES

1. Inclusion: We reach out to everyone in our society. We believe everyone should have a voice and have the opportunity to be actively involved in the important decisions that affect their lives.
2. Accountability: We measure our performance and bear responsibility for meeting our commitments
3. Partnership: We focus on what we can do together, sharing information, resources and energy to achieve our vision for Alabama.
4. Focus on Strength: We assist individuals to develop their personal strengths so they may thrive as productive members of our communities. We also acknowledge the differing strengths that each partner offers.

Alabama CPR Network Structure
Actively engaging communities in this effort requires and effective organization and leadership. It also requires that a structure that encourages involvement and communications among all elements of the community and state and local governments. To meet these requirements a cascading organizational structure has been adopted and is depicted below.




The regional structure will be closely coordinated with ADOC’s correctional system regions to assure consistency and ease of management.

Advisory Council Responsibilities

1. Establish, goals priorities and performance measures for CPR
2. Identify strategy for developing statewide partnerships to meet goals
3. Ensure effective communication among all partners
4. Champion the mission of CPR
5. Establish an ongoing forum for information exchange to promote CPR
6. Develop and present annual assessments to The Office of the Governor

CPR Advisory Council Member Responsibilities

1. Identify supportive resources in your local area and refer them to the CPR Network
2. Encourage faith and community based organizations in your local area to partner with CPR
3. Actively seek and seize opportunities to promote CPR
4. Actively participate in Advisory Council meetings and events
5. Serve as the “voice” for your community segment in Advisory Council meetings and events

CPR Advisory Council Objectives

1. Establish a common information sharing process to identify individual and family services needed and to match them with services available by county
2. Educate communities on the benefits and challenges of reintegrating individuals released from our prisons and criminal justice system supervision
3. Assist faith and community based groups in identifying needed community reentry services and how to effectively provide them for ex-offenders
4. Establish a standardized reporting process for community reentry that maintains appropriate confidentiality levels

CPR Network Basic Support Categories
The work of the CPR Advisory Council and its partners will address the needs of ex-offenders, their families and the community in the following basic categories:

1. Documentation
2. Education and Training
3. Employment
4. Food/Clothing/Personal Items
5. Healthcare
6. Housing
7. Professional Services
8. Spiritual Focus

CPR County Strategy

CPR Regional Co-Chair Responsibilities:

1. Host a CPR Regional Meeting to share information about the CPR Network. This information should include:
   a. Description of the CPR Advisory Council and its role
   b. Background information on Alabama Department of Corrections Reentry Activities
   c. Information on the role of state government in the CPR Network initiative
   d. Clearly demonstrate the positive outcomes of the community engagement in reentry efforts through testimonials and other presentations
   e. Alert attendees to the need to identify CPR county representatives
   f. Coordinate all activities with the CPR Administrative staff
   
   
2. Schedule a CPR County meeting with the following objectives:
   

   1. Provide background on the mission of the CPR Network
   2. Share information about the support and services available in individual counties
   3. Designate a CPR County Representative for each county within the region. Identify specific county issues related to reentry
   4. Share reentry information with the county and receive county feedback
   5. Highlight the positive reentry activities and community groups in each county
   6. Generate goodwill toward the CPR Network throughout the county
3. Assist the County Representative to perform the following responsibilities:
   

   1. Organize a team of county locals to identify the resources in a specific county. This group should plan to assemble every other month with frequent communications outside the confines of the meeting.
   2. Work with the county team to identify specific county issues to be shared with regional and state CPR representatives
   3. Encourage groups and individuals to join the CPR Network and share their services and information
   4. Generate ideas and recommendations on how services and support can best be provided
   5. Announce and advertise CPR Network events and activities to the people of their county.

   Desirable Characteristics of a CPR County Representative
   

   1. Highly respected in their local community
   2. Have an active network of friends, colleagues and partners in the county
   3. Clearly demonstrates leadership skills
   4. Demonstrates a passion for reentry efforts
   5. Ability to solicit feedback from groups and assist them in problem solving
   6. Ability to identify other leaders in the county to assist in the CPR effort
   7. Commit to volunteering approximately 6 hours per month to conduct CPR County activities such as: meeting with county local groups and individuals, conducting CPR County meeting at least every 90 days, demonstrating the use of the CPR Network website and coordinating with CPR Regional and Advisory Council representatives.