Berks Connections Pretrial Services

Programs: Reentry services - bcps provides opportunities to returning citizens to support their successful transition from jail or prison to the berks county community. Reentry services are provided both pre and post-release and include: case management, workforce development, financial literacy, family reunification, housing, and assistance securing basic needs. Services, including a monthly support group, are also provided to families of incarcerated and returning citizens. Additionally, bcps works to educate employers about the benefits of hiring returning citizens and provides ongoing employment support. In 2017, bcps provided reentry services to 1,500 returning citizens through over 16,500 contacts with program case managers. Reentry case managers provided over 850 workforce readiness and financial literacy classes. The program maintains a successfully employed rate of over 55%.

department of labor (dol): in 2017 bcps was awarded a reentry training grant from the u. S. Department of labor to provide a training program entitled rebuilding reentrants and reading. The program offers an opportunity for individuals with a criminal history to acquire skills in the construction trades. Bcps is partnering with habitat for humanity bekrs county (hfhbc) and the reading muhlenberg career and technology center (rmctc) to provide the three components of the training; classroom instruction at rmctc, hands on learning on site at hfhbc properties and an employment focused cognitive curriculum delivered by bcps staff. In december 2017, 9 participants successfully completed the first training session.

community release program: bcps provides supervised release for criminal defendants who would otherwise remain in jail until the final disposition of their case. Bcps also oversees the community release bail program, which was designed to ensure that the economic circumstances of a person will not subject him/her to punishment before trial. In 2017, pretrial officers supervised 930 defendants. The appearance rate for defendants under our supervision was 96% and the re-arrest rates was 5%.