A recent study found that Coconino County’s incarceration rates are nearly double that of Arizona and the U.S.
Coconino County has launched a new program aimed at helping recently released jail inmates successfully re-enter the community.
Officials say the program — known as The Pathways to Community Program — helps reduce recidivism by connecting people with the resources they need before they even leave jail.
Pathways begins with a voluntary assessment of the incarcerated person's needs while they are still in custody. From there, the Pathways staff can connect them to a variety of resources ranging from getting them a cell phone to transportation, housing and even employment.
"It's not designed for everybody. The program isn't you know, some people need to be in jail, but there's a lot of people that don't, and that are just one person away — one resource away — from never coming back to jail again," Bret Axlund, chief deputy for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, said.
The resources have always been available, but Coconino County Health and Human Services Director Kim Musselman says the difference is now they’re more accessible, immediate and centralized.
“We want to be that conduit for providing that connection and getting those folks immediately hooked up with the things that they need so that they can be successful and ultimately not returned back to jail," Musselman said.
About 400 people have been assessed and connected with services since Pathways launched in August. Musselman says only an estimated 4% have re-offended in the two months since.
