JBA Des Moines program that is a national model for helping ex-offenders get jobs and stay out of prison will receive a $1 million boost next month.

Spectrum Resources’ Prisoner Reentry Program helps ex-offenders find jobs and lead law-abiding lives. It’s among five sites across the nation that will receive a $1 million federal Beneficiary Choice grant on Nov. 1 to serve violent offenders in an 18-month job program. 

“We’re outpacing everyone,” said Jerald Brantley, Spectrum’s chief executive officer. “Not many programs are doing it like we’re doing it.”

Advocates across the state and nationally have called for an increase in community-based correctional programs like Spectrum to help stem prison population growth and cut the disproportionate incarceration rates of African-Americans. Iowa incarcerates 8,931 people — 25 percent of whom are black. A national study placed Iowa first among states for imprisoning blacks at a rate that is 13.6 times that of whites.

As the state struggles for ways to deal with its burgeoning prison population, reentry programs have become a hot topic. A committee organized by Gov. Chet Culver released a $9.7 million budget proposal last month to deal with the high black prison rate, with $3.12 million of that earmarked for reentry programs.

Jerry Bartruff, reentry coordinator for the Iowa Department of Corrections, said it’s crucial that the state increase programs like Spectrum, which he said excels at helping ex-offenders find jobs.

“They’ve been really successful in the employment arena,” he said. “Spectrum does help us provide that community linkage that is really important.”

Bartruff was uncertain of how many reentry programs exist in the state. Iowa has more than 20,000 people in community-based corrections, he said. The corrections department “can’t do it all” but needs the help of community-based organizations who know the communities and can link ex-offenders with services, he said. 

“We have a responsibility to our community to plan for their reentry as soon as possible,” Bartruff said.

How it works

President Bush in 2004 announced the U.S. Department of Labor’s Prisoner Reentry Initiative. It was designed to link ex-offenders with faith-based and community-based organizations. It provided about $19.8 million each year for four years to 30 grantees across the country. 

Spectrum, founded in 1995, was one of the grantees and receives about $660,000 annually. It is in the third year of the federal grant and has worked with a variety of agencies on the project. Spectrum, with a 14 percent recidivism rate, succeeds at helping reduce prison population growth, Brantley said.

The goal is to “turn them back into citizens,” Brantley said. “So they’re not recidivating and they can stay out here and be productive citizens.”

The nonprofit agency provides ex-offenders with job training, job placement and mentoring. It also links ex-offenders with prospective employers; provides life skills and parenting classes, and offers immediate supportive services, such as clothing, housing and food.

“Our philosophy is that reentry begins when a person goes into prison,” said Allen Spencer, Spectrum’s program manager. “We know that 93 percent of those incarcerated are going to get out one day.”

Spencer said it’s critical that inmates receive job training and life skills while incarcerated.

Spectrum is contracted to provide its services through the Director’s Council, of which Brantley is chair. The council includes Spectrum, the YMCA, Oakridge Neighborhood, Willkie House, Creative Visions and Pace Juvenile Center. 

About 60 days before an inmate’s release, Khalid Abdar-Rashid, a specialist at Spectrum, goes inside the prison to talk with the inmates about their plans. Many have no job, home or support system to return to, plus some might be facing fines or other financial hurdles, he and Spencer said.

Spectrum employees work with the Fifth Judicial District and the Iowa Department of Corrections on the release of inmates. They also frequently work with parole officers.

Ex-offenders are “picked up from the time they hit the street from prison,” said Spencer, who provides daily reports on the offenders to the labor department. “Some are paroled directly to Spectrum.”

Spencer, Abdar-Rashid and mentors “of faith” provide immediate services to clients — from clothes for a job interview to finding them substance abuse treatment.

Here is a breakdown of Spectrum’s clients as of October 5, 2007: