CONQUEST OFFENDER REINTERGRATION MINISTRIES (DC)

Program Description

In December of 1995, the Conquest Offender Reintegration Ministries (CORM) was established in Washington , DC. CORM is a Christian ministry that provides support services to men and women who were formerly incarcerated. Several distinctive programs are offered to help former offenders transition back to society. In 1997, CORM began implementation of the Reintegration of Ex-offenders Project . The program is designed to have mentors work with offenders while they are still incarcerated in order to construct a transition plan. Once the offender is released, the CORM volunteers meet several times with the individual to help him/her find housing, clothing, and employment. The program offers services such as mentoring; case management; resume preparation; assistance with obtaining important papers like such as a social security card; and assistance with job hunting, food, and clothing for job interviews. This program is a structured mentor-based program that emphasizes accountability and responsibility.

A component of the Reintegration of Ex-offenders Project is the Transitional Housing and Aftercare Center. In the near future, homeless former prisoners will be offered transitional housing, for up to one year, in a structured Christian environment at the Center. Individuals will receive biblical counseling, clean , supervised living quarters, financial management services, job training and life skills seminars, referrals to health services or legal services, and education assistance.

Another innovative program offered through CORM is the Families Accessing Careers in Technology Services, or FACTS, which specifically targets Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients who have a parent or spouse in prison or on probation. The FACTS program was created to help TANF recipients overcome technology barriers to employment. In addition to having a spouse or parent incarcerated or on parole, participants in this program must be 18 years of age or older and have a high school diploma or GED. They must be a TANF recipient or considered to be a low-income person as well as be able to attend classes during the week for over a month.

Program Goals
The goals of CORM are to prevent crime and reduce recidivism by providing services and meeting the needs of former offenders.

Networking, Partnering, and Collaboration
CORM has established several partnerships with local churches in the Washington D. C. area and with other agencies. In 2001, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency began a faith-based initiative for its parolees. CORM joined the initiative in 2002. CORM is also a member of the Washington Ministry Delivery Team of Prison Fellowship Ministries (PFM). CORM and PFM collaborate in the Washington D.C. area by providing services to individuals who were formerly incarcerated.

Outcomes
CORM does not evaluate the success of its program using formal statistics. Rather, the program measures its effectiveness based upon its service delivery model or the CARE model. The rule of thumb used is that when elements of the CARE model are carried out effectively, they have an impact on the offenders. The service delivery model has four components. The first element, compassion, ensures that the service delivery of the CORE program involves respect, trust, and dignity for others. The second element, accessibility, means that CORM strives to make sure that the target population of the program knows about the resources and services offered. In achieving the third element, relevancy, CORM staff seek to stay on top of what is new in the criminal justice arena in order to better serve their clients. The last component is effectiveness. CORM tries to ensure that the services are high-quality and designed to help clients succeed in life.

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