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Participating in a Reentry Simulation

Tags: DOC
November 19, 2019 12:00 AM
By: Sue McNaughton

PA Coat of Arms

About a week ago, I was attending a DOC Leadership meeting at the DOC's Training Academy. As I was ready for several days of conversations and presentations, I wasn't ready for what I would learn by participating in the "Reentry Simulation."

In April 2019, Deputy Secretary for Reentry Kelly Evans and Director of Reentry Operations Missy Repsher traveled to Kentucky's DOC to learn about their reentry efforts. While there, Evans and Repsher were introduced to the reentry simulation concept.

Back to the leadership meeting. The room was transformed from a huge square layout needed for the overall meeting to tables around the perimeter of the room and groupings of chairs inside that perimeter of tables.

We each were given a packet. Inside each packet was information about who we were as a reentrant. For example, I was "Nadine" and was now on parole from an aggravated assault sentence. I lived with my parents and had a degree in accounting.

Also inside the packet was a card that showed the various things I was required to do each week over a four-week period – with each week being somewhat different. I had to get a job, go to treatment, have my urine tested, etc. I also was provided with several transportation tokens that I would have to use to get from station to station during each week.

The stations. Remember I mentioned the tables along the perimeter of the room? These were "places" I had to go each week to be a successful reentrant. The "places" were: giving plasma (which you could get paid for if you tested negative for drugs), attending treatment (which you had to pay for), buying tokens, paying rent, the food bank, NA/AA, the probation/parole office, the grocery store, the employer, a pawn shop, the courthouse, etc.

I started off my first week doing pretty well. I knew that I needed a job, so that's the first place I went to – and of course handed over my token. Once there I had to fill out an application. Once that was done I picked from a pile of cards only to find that there were no jobs for me this week. At least I tried to get a job.

Next, I decided I better get to treatment. I spent another token getting there, where again you pick from a card to determine whether you attended treatment or missed it, the latter of which wasn't good. I was able to participate, but then I also had to pay for the treatment.

After that I needed to have my urine tested. That cost me another token and money. Now things are getting tight money-wise for me, but I'm proud that I'm doing what needs to be done.

Time's up. Everyone returns to their groupings of chairs. The parole agent comes around and checks us. For being good I was given a few extra tokens.

DOC leaders simulate being a reentrant

Simulation participants return "home" following the first week of parole.

Now we're moving into week two. I check my card to see what needs done this week. I realize I need money. I use a token to get to the plasma center where I test negative and can give blood. I am paid $25. I'm so excited that I now have money, but I need tokens. You can't get anywhere without tokens. I go to the token station only to be greeted by a long line of parolees waiting ahead of me. This is frustrating. There's a lot of bartering going on in the line of parolees. I observe.

I continue through my week. I can't find a job still, and money's running low and I'm getting worried. I go to NA/AA station because maybe there are some free donuts there. I also go to the food bank and ask them for help, but they couldn't help out with money or tokens. At the plasma station, I see a parolee ahead of me get special treatment, so I pressured the "employee" to allow me to test negative so I can get money for donating. When this second week is up, we all return to our chairs.

On my chair is a card that says it's my dad's birthday and I need to buy him a $25 birthday gift. This is crazy! How can I buy him a gift and still do what is required of me?

We're now starting week three. I go to the plasma station first only to find that I've tested positive for drugs. Now I can't donate, and I'm out a token. I try to find a job again, but nothing's available for me, and again, I'm out a token. I friended the staff there and gave him my phone number so we could develop a relationship. He slips me two tokens.

Eventually I am now out of tokens and find myself standing in the middle of the room looking at my card and wondering how I'm going to complete my items. I look down and find a token on the ground! This kept me going, and got me on the right track. I also, at one point, had an excess of tokens and sold them to other parolees for a profit. I never did buy my dad that gift.

During the fourth week, I learned that I now had a speeding ticket and needed to pay $100 on top of everything else I had to do! I used a token to go to the courthouse to pay my fine. I had $30. I asked if I could pay a part of the fine, but was told I needed to pay the entire fine. Again, I'm out a token, and hadn't paid my fine. I asked if I could have my token back, but they said no.

DOC leaders simulate being a reentrant

"Parolees" worked their way through various stations, 

often finding long lines delayed or hindered their progress.

I am now really frustrated. I was lucky so far that my parole agent hadn't sent me back to prison, but many others participating in this reentry simulation were sent back.

At the end of the simulation, I felt defeated. Transportation was an issue and an expense. Paying for treatment and urine tests nearly broke my bank each week. While I started off good, as each week progressed, it became more difficult to comply with my parole rules.

In the end I think I had a better understanding of what parolees experience. Reentry is difficult. Luckily for me, in my scenario, I was living at home, so I didn't have the added expense of paying rent while being unemployed.

I found the reentry simulation to be very enlightening. If you have the chance to participate in such an activity, please do so. It's a really educational and eye-opening experience. 



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