Unlocking DOORS™, Texas’ most innovative and cutting-edge community reentry resource network for former offenders, is hosting a national training for a two-year research project led by Dr. Carrie Pettus-Davis, Founding Director of the Institute for Justice Research and Development and Associate Professor at Florida State University. The policy reforms are led by Texas Public Policy Foundation and Koch Industries, Inc. The first four pilot states of Safe Streets & Second Chances (S3C) are Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Florida. Weeklong training is underway at Unlocking DOORS™ in Dallas for weeklong training for researchers leading the randomized controlled trial with 1,100 study participants across the four states, 30 prisons and 14 rural and urban communities. In addition to Dallas, Hill and Hood Counties are also part of the research.

Dallas is a natural test site for the study given that Unlocking DOORS’™ nationally-unique model and the S3C initiative approach the concerns of recidivism in a similar manner – with an evidence-based focus on the individual needs of the client.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Unlocking DOORS™ as my research team embarks on one of largest studies of reentry done in this country,” remarked Pettus- Davis. “Unlocking DOORS™ is a natural fit because they are highly innovative and are eager to engage in research that identifies cutting edge strategies that are scalable.”

“We are so pleased to be selected as one of the four initial test sites, and as the host site for the national training,” said Christina Melton Crain, Esq., Founder and President/CEO of Unlocking DOORS™.

Similar to Unlocking DOORS'™ nationally-unique model, the S3C initiative approaches the concerns of repeat offenders and recidivism with an evidence-driven focus on two components integral to successful reentry and reintegration into society. A collaboration between Unlocking DOOR™ and Florida State University Research Team sets out to accomplish the following:

• Remove barriers to success for individuals after prison by using research to bridge policy reforms and effective reentry service approaches
• Revolutionize the manner and means by which reentry services are delivered to individuals with criminal backgrounds
• Generate science to implement and scale evidence-driven policy and reentry service innovations
• Close the gap and lag between scientific discovery and the adoption of those findings in practice

On average, 70,000 ex-offenders are released back into Texas communities each year. Historically, the community-based former offender programs throughout the State of Texas are limited to those offenders on probation or parole supervision. And, the programs available have not historically coordinated their services to create a comprehensive reentry plan. It is out of this need that Unlocking DOORS™ was formed.

Unlocking DOORS™ is Texas’ most comprehensive “community reentry resource network”. Unlocking DOORS™ uses a unique and highly-successful “Reentry BrokerageTM/Data” program model to connect former offenders with the specific services and resources they need to find a future of self-sufficiency that is crime-free – i.e., employment, job training, housing, medical/mental health treatment and transportation.

“I’m hopeful the work we’re doing at Unlocking DOORS™ will serve as a great launch for Pettus-Davis and her research,” Crain said. “Without programs like ours, and the close and dedicated cooperation of our partnerships, many former offenders will reoffend, costing taxpayer dollars, increasing our crime rate, and destroying the chances for a holistic, healthy, and productive society.”

As part of the research for Safe Streets & Second Chances, data collectors will collect information from individuals while they are in prison, immediately after release, and then 4, 8, and 15 months after release from prison.

Each host site will be staffed with a research team comprised of a Project Manager, Clinical Research Associates, Research & Assessment Specialists, and Reentry Program Specialists.