Around 60 Parolees Graduate from Santa Barbara Day Reporting Center’s Reentry Program
Program Helps Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Meet Vocational, Educational, and Personal Goals to Get Their Lives Back on Track
My sister firmly believes that “life cannot be ruined.” It is a sentiment that may seem difficult to trust, especially while moving in and out of jail and battling addiction. But she did, and she still does, now that she has a stable job, her own house, and a growing family.
Her time behind bars was difficult, but her life, sure as hell, was not ruined.
I saw glimpses of her during the Santa Barbara Day Reporting Center’s (DRC) graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 29.
Graduates were beaming in their gowns, sitting next to their proud families, and it reminded me of the overwhelming admiration I felt for my sister as she went through recovery and rebuilt her life.
Around 60 formerly incarcerated individuals graduated from the DRCs in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara this week. “Congrats, Grad!” balloons and commencement proceedings acknowledged the resilient men and women who completed their DRC’s reentry program.
Community Solutions Inc. (CSI), a national organization that launched the first halfway house in New England in 1962, opened these centers in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office in 2010. They specialize in helping people reintegrate back into the community after a period of incarceration.
All the graduates are individuals on state parole who voluntarily participated in the program, working with managers and employment specialists to set specific vocational, educational, and personal goals to help get their lives back on track.
The curriculum includes topics such as substance abuse treatment, cognitive behavioral intervention, employment services, career planning, school counseling, transitional housing support, and other service opportunities.
To get people in the door, incentives range from basics like clothing and hygiene supplies to free food like donated donuts from Hook & Press or Chinese food from Madam Lu (nothing like sugar and noodles to keep people coming back).
“A lot of new clients come out of prison and don’t have much,” said George Carachure Ortiz, a case aid for the Santa Barbara DRC. Ortiz, with his friendly disposition and seemingly permanent smile, is usually the first face the clients see when they walk in.
“I got to meet them as they came in, so I saw the whole process,” Ortiz explained. “You get to see everyone’s personality. You can see the growth, and the setbacks, of course, but the consistency of coming back — that’s the resilience factor. Seeing everyone here now — it’s a good feeling. Celebrating, smiles everywhere. That’s the cool part.”
Case managers who spoke at the ceremony congratulated their clients for unwavering determination and resilience. “Though her initial steps may have faltered,” started Heather Mora, speaking about her client Maryam Burgazi, “she embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery and growth.”
Burgazi received the Client of the Year award for demonstrating integrity, kindness, and a strong work ethic, Mora said. “She was actively engaged in our program while remaining consistent and committed,” she added.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown also served as a keynote speaker at both ceremonies and reflected on the perseverance of the graduates and extended his best wishes for their future endeavors.
After clients graduate from the program, their risk of recidivism is substantially decreased, and these individuals often go on to reenter the workforce and start families. Their lives, in other words, remain unruined.
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