Governor

Pennsylvania Launches New Effort to Fight Prison Recidivism

Pennsylvania is forming a new effort to help keep newly released prisoners from committing crimes that get them sent back to prison.

Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro on Monday announced the formation and first meeting of the Pennsylvania Reentry Council.

It'll involve state agencies, federal prosecutors' offices and 21 re-entry coalitions from across Pennsylvania in an effort to overhaul a system that Shapiro says leads to two of every three ex-cons being re-incarcerated.

Wolf's and Shapiro's offices say the challenges include improving access to housing, education, employment, health care, addiction treatment, mental health counseling and important documents, such as driver's licenses and Social Security cards.

They say such efforts also will improve public safety.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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