RETURNING CITIZENS MANIFESTO

Philadelphia Reintegration Services for Ex-Offenders (R.I.S.E.) The Umbrella of Cronyism

By Thomas Ford
July 26, 2013

Just received this official post (see below) from the City of Philadelphia website for R.I.S.E.
 
What's troubling is the folks that uploaded this propaganda failed to even proof-read their message.  And, RISE has never truly acted as an inclusive "umbrella organization for local ex-offender re-entry programs and initiatives" mainly because many of RISE's staff is unqualified and ill-equipped to accept this position of leadership. 
 
For example:
William Hart, hired as the Executive Director of RISE in 2011, was a crony appointment by Mayor Michael Nutter.  Before coming to RISE, Hart was Director of Community Employment at Temple University and had less experience working with ex-offenders than Wallace Custis, who was already employed at RISE and had extensive experience working with "ex-offenders" during his Staffing Specialist tenure at CareerLink's Workforce Development Corp.  Temple University has never been a beacon of hope in terms of providing services or hiring folks with a criminal history from Philadelphia's neighborhoods.

Not to be outdone by Mayor Nutter's cronyism, Hart recently hired RISE's Case Management Supervisor who has less college credentialed experience than the case managers she was hired to supervise.  According to a member of RISE's management team, the recently hired case management supervisor's basic writing ability and understanding of data collection applications is virtually non-existent. 
 
Yea, this is the "umbrella" Philadelphia's grassroots reentry programs must look to for leadership...So sad but so true. 
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Welcome To R.I.S.E.

Transitioning the formerly incarcerated back into the community

The Mayor’s Office of Re-Integration Services for Ex-offenders (RISE) is the lead agency in the City for the management of reintegration services for the formerly incarcerated back into society.  At RISE we know that people who receive the skills and training and education necessary to complete in the formal economy are far less likely to participate in criminal activity.

The Mayor’s Office of Re-Integration Services for Ex-offenders (RISE) mission is to:

Improve public safety and the re-entry process for the formerly incarcerated enabling them to become responsible and productive Philadelphians by addressing barriers that impede their fair chance for success. 

RISE has established the following goals:
◾To act as an umbrella organization for local ex-offender re-entry programs and initiatives.
◾Establish a strong network of organizations to promote community-wide collaboration.
◾Assist in setting standards for organizations providing services to the formerly incarcerated.
◾Act as a clearing house of information and conduit for funding opportunities.
◾To provide training for both professionals and volunteers and assist with program development.