Gorczyk, Lucenti developed programs to help prisoners integrate into society

Scott — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:10:00 GMT

From the Rutland Herald:

"Nearly a year ago, on Leap Day, Feb. 29, two men whose innovations in the field of corrections turned Vermont into a national model quietly retired.

John Gorczyk, the state's longest-serving commissioner of corrections, and Bob Lucenti, the founder and superintendent of the Community High School of Vermont, brought Vermont national recognition with programs that translated the department's mission statement into reality.

As chief of the state's prisons, Gorczyk's No. 1 objective was to prepare offenders to play positive roles when they returned to the community.

"I wanted to have the best treatment programs in the country," he said, "and I wanted to ... (link) corrections more closely to the community."

He also improved health care and mental health services for offenders and oversaw the founding of the nation's first statewide high school system within a correctional system. Gorczyk also pioneered treatment programs that became national models and he created restorative justice programs.

The National Institute of Corrections is promoting his most recent innovation - a workforce development program that improved prisoners' employability and significantly reduced rates of recidivism, or reoffending - for replication on a national scale.

"John is considered a real innovator in the field of corrections," said John Moore, a division chief at the National Institute of Corrections who worked with Gorczyk for 25 years. "Because the Vermont correctional system is small," he added, "we've actually used it as a laboratory state."

Read the full article here.

Three Must Have Resources from NIC

Scott — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:22:00 GMT

The following NIC publications are must have resources for anyone working with the offender population. In addition, these publications compliment the Offender Workforce Development Specialist training and the Offender Employment Specialist training. Click on the title for each publication to be directed to the download page.

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment: A Review and Discussion for Corrections Professionals - Detailed information regarding the use and benefits of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in prisons and jails is provided. Chapters comprising this guide address: the increasing need for effective treatment services; what cognitive-behavioral therapy is; prominent CBT programs for offenders; measuring the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs; evaluating specific CBT curricula; and "real world" program applications.

Motivating Offenders to Change: A Guide for Probation and Parole - This publication "provides probation and parole officers and other correctional professionals with both a solid grounding in the principles behind MI [motivational interviewing] and a practical guide for applying these principles in their everyday dealings with offenders" (p.2). Seven chapters are contained in this guide: how MI fits in with evidence-based practice; how and why people change; the motivational interviewing style; preparing for change; building motivation for change; navigating through tough times--working with deception, violations, and sanctions; and from start to finish--putting MI into practice.

Gender-Responsive Strategies: Research, Practice, and Guiding Principles for Women Offenders - Guidance for those individuals "seeking to more effectively respond to the behavior and circumstances of the female offender" is offered (p. iv). An executive summary and the following four chapters comprise this manual: characteristics of women in the criminal justice system -- a descriptive summary; women offenders and criminal justice practice; the context of women's lives -- a multidisciplinary review of research and theory; and a new vision -- guiding principles for a gender-responsive criminal justice.

Offender Employment : Cognitive Behavioral Treatment

Gorczyk, Lucenti developed programs to help prisoners integrate into society

Three Must Have Resources from NIC