The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice is pleased to announce a satellite videoconference addressing the recently released funding Initiative, "Going Home." The 90-minute broadcast, addressing the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, will be aired nationwide on Thursday, February 28, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. EST.

The reentry of serious, high-risk offenders into communities across the country has long been a source of violent crime in the United States. As more than 630,000 adult and an estimated 100,000 juvenile offenders are released from prisons and correctional facilities every year, the problem of their recidivism has become a crisis that affects all parts of a community. The goal of the Initiative will be to build on innovative ideas that reduce the recidivism of these offenders and, thus, reduce the overall amount of violent and other serious crime that is inflicted on our society.

Information regarding funding levels; eligible applicants; eligible activities including institutionally based programs, community-based transition programs and community-based long term support; and, application requirements will be provided. It is the goal of the Initiative to identify and enhance existing successful reentry programs.

Viewers are encouraged to videotape the broadcast for future use; no rights are reserved by OJJDP or JJTAP. The broadcast will be closed-captioned for the hearing impaired. It will be available for viewing, via satellite, on both C-band and Ku-band and will be cybercast on the Internet.

Broadcast Objectives

• To present information about funding for the Initiative
  
• To provide an overview of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative

Audience

The broadcast is designed for criminal and juvenile justice practitioners, judges and staff, policymakers, community leaders, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation and parole officers, social service agencies, law enforcement agencies, and others interested in public safety, and supporting offenders to live as law-abiding and contributing members of society.