An outside firm will assist Alabama’s Pardons and Paroles Board with inmate rehabilitation services, following a legislative committee’s recent stamp of approval.
The Alabama Contract Review Committee approved the board’s request on November 3, to allocate $5.18 million toward a two-year contract with GEO Reentry Services, a Boca Raton, Fla.-based service provider.
GEO’s services specifically pertain to the Pardons and Paroles Board’s state-run PREP Center in Uniontown, Perry County.
According to state documents, GEO will provide “intensive rehabilitation services” to include: psychological and medical services for male parolees, probationers, and mandatory releases under the oversight of the Pardons and Paroles Board.
Claudia Smith, who serves as General Counsel for the Pardons and Paroles Board, said the overarching goal of the contract is to use the most effective services and expertise available to work with incarcerated men and help them reenter society.
The contracted firm will work with male inmates, who have been deemed medium or high risk, based on state assessments.
The state’s contract with GEO is set to take effect on November 10, one week following the committee meeting, which raised questions during deliberations from state House and Senate members serving on the committee.
Smith said the immediate contract reflects a planned November 28 rollout of the organization’s services.
“If we have this contract in place, we’ll be in good shape,” Smith told the committee.
The state’s contract with GEO runs through November 9, 2024, according to state documents.
A rationale for the expense in the committee packet outlined, why the Pardons and Paroles Board opted to contract outside state government for the service, rather than fulfill the responsibilities in-house.
“The services are essential components for the PREP program,” the statement reads. “Merit employees would be cost prohibitive and problematic for program initiation. GEO Reentry Services will provide a full staff of licensed medical professionals to cover all health needs.”
The Uniontown PREP Center opened in April. Gov. Kay Ivey attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and gave the keynote address.
“The PREP Center will be an important tool in ensuring safe communities as we help lead folks during the transition from serving time in our corrections system, to becoming productive citizens,” Ivey said at the spring event. “This location is the first of its kind for Alabama.”
The Pardons and Paroles Board’s PREP Center program gives the inmates a complete sanction from those offered through the Alabama Department of Correction’s general population.
A number of state agencies have also been a part of the alternative program, including the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Ingram State Technical College.
Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
