DISMAS HOUSE (MA PROFILED – ALSO IN, NM, TN, VT)

Program Description
Dismas House is a supportive residential community shared by former prisoners, college students, and local volunteers. The first house opened in 1974 in Nashville. Dismas Houses now operate in five states (Tennessee, Vermont, Indiana, Massachusetts, and New Mexico). Dismas House of Central Massachusetts was founded in 1988 by a group of citizens concerned with the high level of recidivism among returning prisoners and society's poorly equipped infrastructure for dealing with returning prisoners. Dismas House is loosely based on the social rehabilitation model for prisoner reintegration. It also involves a firm commitment to democratic decision making among all members of the house.

Staff interview potential residents throughout the Massachusetts prison system and select 40 to 50 for residence per year out of the 1, 000 that apply. Both male and female released prisoners are eligible for participation (sex offenders are excluded). The point of access for Dismas House services is a network of in-prison case managers, library resources, social workers, and prison ministers. Also, Dismas occasionally accepts persons off the streets who have been through the prison system.

Dismas House has several unique program components, including having students and international activists reside at the house and engaging former prisoners in community- organizing activities. In addition to transitional housing, basic services available to the residents include a clothing voucher; transportation and job-hunting assistance; healthcare linkages to free clinics and insurance for the poor; resolution of outstanding civil and legal issues; family reunification opportunities; substance abuse services; vouchers for schooling and vocational programs; and finally, apartment search assistance and aftercare services for three years after residency.

Program Goals
The goals of Dismas House include reducing recidivism and providing support for former offenders.

Networking, Partnering & Collaboration
Dismas House works with many local service agencies to provide comprehensive services. It also works with Worcester Interfaith, a group of churches, environmental organizations, and neighborhood groups that do citywide strategic planning.

Outcomes
The average length of stay at Dismas House is six months. Dismas House is installing new tracking software to maintain and track data on program participants more effectively. Fifty percent of former residents maintain contact with Dismas House after "graduation."

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