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Hope on parole

Wildwood Correctional Complex in Kenai
Department of Corrections
Wildwood Correctional Complex in Kenai

Two out of every three people released from incarceration in Alaska return to prison within three years, according to the Alaska Department of Corrections, and most within three months. The state’s just-over 66 percent recidivism rate is the worst in the country.

Katie Cowgill, program manager at the Kenai Peninsula Reentry Coalition, said anecdotal evidence points to the rate being even a little worse on the Kenai Peninsula, given its rural status and lack of adequate resources to support success for those reentering the community.

The coalition wants that to change. At 11 a.m. April 2 at the Kenai Mall in Kenai, the coalition and Alaska Department of Corrections are holding a reentry simulation to shed light on the problem.

“We are offering our peninsula residents a chance to walk in the shoes of a reentrant, basically. … So that they can gain a better understanding and, honestly, more of an emotional connection to the reentry process without having to actually go to jail yourself or be in recovery yourself,” Cowgill said.

Cowgill said the Kenai Peninsula has two big barriers to success for those on probation and parole. One is a lack of emergency housing. She said the waitlist for places to live is weeks to months.

“In order to stay clean and sober and not fall back into that sort of criminal thinking and lifestyle of crime, they have to make changes in their housing and their employment and their friends and their family," she said. "And it’s incredibly hard, and without those actual just beds that are available, we find that they’re forced back into those situations that just aren’t good for them because, otherwise, they’re sleeping outside.”

The lack of adequate public transportation is the other big hurdle, especially for people living outside a city.

"Transportation is often a reason people end up back in jail because they just simply don’t have a reliable means to get to probation on time," Cowgill said. "… And, also, just finding employment if you don’t have a reliable means of transportation, you really can’t go even job search, let alone be a reliable worker.”

Those participating in the simulation will either be a vendor or a reentrant. Vendors will be assigned a role simulating the social service agencies on the peninsula. Reentrants will be assigned a persona, with a background, demographics and criminal history. They’ll try to comply with probation and parole requirements by visiting the vendors to access resources, and they’ll have to deal with some hurdles along the way.

It’s not that the system is designed to fail. Cowgill said she’s worked with parole officers, social service workers and people in the community who do everything they can to make reentrants successful. But she thinks having more resources will help.

“Sometimes it’s just one or two people that are so driven and care so much about our community that they are able to actually bring so much change… . But we have some amazing agencies here. We have the faith-based community, we have the recovery community and they are arms open, and I know that they do a lot of good around here,” Cowgill said.

The simulation is open to anyone interested. Cowgill particularly hopes to see community leaders, business owners, representatives of faith-based and tribal organizations, landlords and other stakeholders in the reentry process. Really, that can mean anyone in the community.

“If you don’t know really which one you want to do or which one fits you, sign up to be a reentrant. I promise it will be enlightening and you will walk away completely shocked,” she said.

The simulation is based on a model created by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. It’s happened elsewhere in the state, but tailored to federal prisons. Cowgill said this simulation is tweaked to fit the realities of the Kenai Peninsula. Cowgill hopes to bring the simulation to Homer and Seward, as well.

For more information or to sign up, visit the coalition's website or call 907- 953-1322. The coalition could use more members, as well. Their next meeting is 5:45 p.m. April 28.

Jenny Neyman has been the general manager of KDLL since 2017. Before that she was a reporter and the Morning Edition host at KDLL.
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