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| Norfolk County Sheriff: Edward J. Byrne Justice Assistance Grant |
| By Norfolk County Sheriff Office |
| Published: 05/22/2012 |
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DEDHAM, MA, May 22, 2012 – Norfolk County Sheriff Michael G. Bellotti said a U.S. Department of Justice grant will be used to enhance inmate re-entry programs designed to keep inmates from committing new crimes after completing their jail sentences. “We are proud to be chosen to receive this federal grant,” Sheriff Bellotti said. “It will help us end the revolving door syndrome in our criminal justice system and ultimately keep our communities safer.” The Edward J. Byrne Justice Assistance Grant will allow the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office to hire a vendor to provide three full-time staff positions for one year. The additional personnel will focus on helping inmates find employment when they finish their sentences. They also will coordinate the work of the NCSO’s volunteer mentor program, which uses specially selected community members to help released inmates remain faithful to their substance abuse programs and other responsibilities. “We work very hard to change inmates’ behavioral patterns while they are incarcerated,” Sheriff Bellotti said. “These new positions will help us prevent inmates from reverting to their old ways once they leave the jail.” Noting that the average length of sentence at the Norfolk County Correctional Center in Dedham is 141 days, Sheriff Bellotti said it is imperative that corrections programs address the root causes of a person’s criminal behavior before they return to freedom. “Inmate reentry programs allow us to use our public resources in the most productive manner. It’s a win-win situation for everyone,” Sheriff Bellotti said. The Byrne grant is just one of a number of grants Sheriff Bellotti’s office has applied for and been awarded. The Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office was one of 13 correctional agencies in the nation to receive a Second Chance Act grant from the U.S. Justice Department in 2010. The federal government renewed that grant in the amount of $335,000 last fall. |
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