BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick today unveiled what he called a landmark initiative aimed at reducing recidivism among high-risk young men.
The proposal will cut down on crime, save taxpayers money, and improve outcomes for hundreds of young men leaving the juvenile justice system or who’re in the probation system, Patrick said.
The state will team with a nonprofit service provider, Roca, to serve hundreds of young men across the state by providing them with outreach, life skills and employment training, he said. The program will initially be funded with the help of $18 million in private loans and grants.
Roca aims to reduce by 40 percent the number of days that young men in the program are incarcerated — a goal that would generate millions in savings to the state.
If Roca is successful in meeting that goal, the state will make up to $27 million in “success payments” over a seven year period under a so-called “Pay for Success” model.
That money will go repay the private funders. If Roca exceeds the 40 percent goal, it and the private funders will receive a bonus.
An $11.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor will also give state the opportunity to extend the project to serve up to 1,320 young men over nine years.
“The Pay for Success initiative will allow us to marry smart financial solutions with programs proven successful in helping high-risk youth become employed, stay employed, and break the cycle of violence,” Patrick said in a statement.
About 64 percent of young male ex-offenders in Massachusetts re-offend within five years, and only 35 percent find work within a year of being released.
Patrick says his administration is trying to improve the situation with the help of nonprofit expertise, private sector funding and ongoing evaluation of existing state programs.
