El Paso Transitional Center - CoreCivic

The El Paso TC offers comprehensive halfway house services including, employment services, job readiness and development, life skills, and case management services. El Paso TC provides three nutritious meals per day, including a sack lunch provided to residents scheduled to leave the center for employment. El Paso TC provides transportation for employment, medical appointments, and court and legal appointments. The El Paso TC has also served as a temporary emergency housing for secure offenders TDCJ needed to relocate from Louisiana due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.

El Paso Residential Center - Inmate Reentry Preparation

At CoreCivic, we strive to make that difference in the lives of the offenders in our care. Our approach is comprehensive. It features inmate programs that emphasize:
• Academic Education,
• Learning can be the passport to changing a person's life. In general, this is true for everyone, but for those who have been incarcerated, it can hold the key to personal transformation.
• It's been proven that people who participate in educational programs while in prison are much less likely to be re-arrested and find themselves incarcerated again. Earning an educational credential for inmates is about much more than a piece of paper. It represents the promise of a new, law-abiding life, one in which they can be gainfully employed, support their families and earn the respect of their communities.
Adult Basic Education
• The ability to read and write is essential. Reading is required to understand the world around us, and writing is a basic skill that helps us share information and ideas. For far too many inmates, the educational process hinges on its most basic step - the ability to read and write. In addition to our own educators, CoreCivic partners with community organizations to provide learning opportunities for offenders.
• From Adult Basic Education to attainment of advanced degrees, academic programs at CoreCivic facilities follow industry and state education department best practices. Our offerings meet inmates where they are in their academic progression. This is especially important when considering that some newly incarcerated individuals may have limited formal education. Basic education is a key that can unlock the door to a better future.
• For other inmates, the challenge is different. Someone may be a high school dropout who needs a structured pathway toward a GED. Others may be high academic achievers capable of taking advantage of CoreCivic programs to pursue advanced degrees or other post-secondary study.
• For each individual, the process begins with testing and evaluation. This results in a comprehensive assessment that allows CoreCivic’s educational staff to determine the appropriate level of instruction. From there, it's a matter of taking a series of small steps toward a manageable goal.
Adult Education in Spanish
• Diversity in our culture is something that can’t be ignored in planning educational programs for those who are incarcerated. Recognizing the need to offer equally effective programs for Spanish-speaking inmates, CoreCivic offers Adult Education in Spanish at many of our correctional facilities. It's another example of CoreCivic's commitment to recognize a critical need and to go above and beyond the status quo.
• For more than 10 years, CoreCivic has partnered with the National Institute for Adult Education (Instituto Nacional de Educación para los Adultos, or INEA), an entity of the Mexican government, to provide adult education in Spanish. INEA oversees the accreditation and certification of basic educational studies in Mexico and is transferrable to some other Latin American countries. Previously referred to as the Mexican GED program, INEA supplies facilities with materials and curriculum for the primaria level (grades 1-6) and secondaria level (grades 7-9). When offenders return to their country of origin, completion of this program prepares them to secure employment more readily, while providing a launching pad for future educational achievement.
• Post-Secondary Opportunities, GRE Preparation and Testing
• In free society, the pathway to educational attainment can extend far beyond the high school level. And it's true within CoreCivic correctional facilities, too. Our classrooms service not only elementary- and secondary-level needs. They also provide opportunities at the collegiate level.
• Inmates may choose to take advantage of post-secondary programs, actually earning college credit and even a degree. Through GRE test prep, inmates may explore post-graduate opportunities, opening the door for advanced degree attainment.
• Vocational Training,
Learning a vocation leads to a new vision in life.
The ability to get and maintain employment is a key ingredient to success upon release.
That's why learning a viable trade is so vital. When offenders learn an in-demand skill, it empowers them to one day become qualified employees, or even self-employed proprietors of their own businesses.
Being able to support themselves helps keep former inmates on the path of a law-abiding life. Being employed instills a sense of purpose and self-esteem. Becoming proficient in a craft bodes well for the respect they may receive in the community.
Industry Work Programs
CoreCivic facilities put inmates to work in modern programs that are aligned closely with outside companies. Work opportunities allow inmates to earn money, learn job skills, and develop a work ethic. Participation in these programs enhances their opportunity to land an honest job after their release. Depending on the facility, the programs are either operated independently or as part of the Federal Prison Industry Enhancement Program.
Microsoft Office Specialist Program
CoreCivic is an authorized testing center for the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) program, a globally recognized exam-based proficiency certification in Microsoft applications. MOS certification for Microsoft Office requires passing one or more exams. MOS certification exams provide a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise by evaluating overall comprehension of Microsoft Office or Office Project programs, the ability to use advanced features and proficiency in integrating Office programs with other software.
Trades Training
CoreCivic's vocational programs are radically different from the previous generation’s prison work details and odd jobs. Inmates are enrolled in skill-building initiatives that offer meaningful, rewarding opportunities to gain self-esteem. Training programs are designed with an eye on realistic future jobs and careers including:
• Carpentry
• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
• Computer applications
• Construction and building trades
• Culinary Arts
• Electrical
• Horticulture and landscaping
• HVAC
• Masonry
• Painting
• Plumbing
• Workforce Readiness
• Veterinary Technician
CoreCivic was the first corrections agency to achieve accreditation by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), a nationally recognized authority in construction and maintenance training quality. As the accrediting body for the industry, NCCER establishes the benchmark for training and assessments. By partnering with industry and academia, NCCER has developed a system for program accreditation that is similar to those found in institutions of higher learning. This process fosters national unity among the construction industry while providing a defined career path with industry-recognized credentials. NCCER’s accreditation process ensures that students and craft professionals receive superior training based on uniform standards and criteria.
Life Skills Development,
It takes a certain set of skills to successfully navigate everyday life as a responsible, law abiding citizen.
These capabilities are what we in corrections call life skills.
CoreCivic's life skills and reentry programs are based on research that has uncovered proven ways to change thinking patterns, resulting in permanent changes in behavior. This is known as the cognitive-behavioral approach. Life Skills training impacts every area of an individual’s life, from coping with emotions to rearing children and from managing money to making decisions.
Cognitive-behavioral classes are designed to help inmates overcome attitude challenges and acting out in negative ways. Our approach follows a tested model of delinquency avoidance, crime prevention and cognitive rehabilitation. Participants learn about logical problem solving and the development of good decision-making skills.
Parenting and Family Dynamics
Many of the men and women in correctional facilities are fathers and mothers. Some statistics indicate that nearly three million children in the U.S. have an incarcerated parent. While it can be challenging to effectively and actively parent while incarcerated, CoreCivic life skills programs strive to introduce and reinforce positive parental lessons that offenders can carry with them upon release. Even while still confined, we instill strategies for inmates to build better relationships with their children as they prepare for family reunification.
CoreCivic's life skills programs focus on every stage in child development, including the role of a parent in helping children succeed in school. Also discussed are the consequences of raising a child in an “at risk” family. Teaching parenting skills and developing cognitive self-change as part of a life skills may not, in isolation, prevent criminal behavior in the inmate, but it likely will assist the child in moving in a new direction instead of following in the parent's path. Together, all of these topics may go a long way toward breaking the cycle of criminal behavior and incarceration.
Budgeting and Financial Management
Being able to smartly manage one's money is a critical skill. Learning how to spend in accordance with a budget can help former offenders withstand the pressures of resorting to illegal activity to earn money.
Poor management of family or personal finances is a major problem that is by no means limited to the incarcerated population. Few, if any, factors lead to broken families more often than financial issues. That’s why budgeting and financial management are a critical part of life skills training. Inmates who can prioritize and stay out of financial trouble are much more likely to be happier and more productive citizens after release.
Occupational Readiness
Getting prepared to enter the workforce involves more than just learning the skills of a trade or earning a certification. CoreCivic's life skills programs have a major focus on employability and occupational readiness that includes:
• Attendance
• Career exploration
• Following instructions
• Hygiene
• Job lead sources
• Proper attire
• Punctuality
• Time management
• Interpersonal Skills
Sometimes, the failure to function and prosper in society can be due to a basic lack of social or interpersonal skills. The simple truth is that many inmates, due to lack of education or lack of exposure to positive role models at home, have communication issues that hamper their success.
That's why life skills training includes a focus on interpersonal skill-building. Inmates are taught about the fundamental need for decency and respect. They learn communications skills and practice them in real-life situations. Programs also focus on independent living skills, anger control and victimization.
• Addictions Treatment and,
Dependency on alcohol and drugs can lead to devastating consequences for those caught in the destructive grip of addiction to mind-and mood-altering substances and has been overwhelmingly linked to factors that contribute to incarceration.
Indeed, national research indicates that 65% of the U.S. inmate population meets the criteria for substance use disorders, and another 20% were either under the influence of substances at the time of their offense, stole money to buy drugs, are substance abusers, or share some combination of these characteristics.
Providing inmates with evidence-based treatment is essential to eradicating the cycle of substance use, incarceration and recidivism. That's why CoreCivic is committed to offering an array of substance use disorder treatment modalities to address this critical need. CoreCivic's substance use disorder programs utilize state-of-the-art cognitive-behavorial curricula in conjunction with time-tested therapeutic community (TC) practices to help correct the program particiapants' maladaptive thinking and behavior patterns that underlie their crimes and destructive use of drugs.
Residential Drug Abuse Program
CoreCivic's residential drug-abuse program (RDAP) takes place in a separate residential unit away from the general population. The highly-structured program schedule includes group and individual counseling as well as TC activities that promote adherence to the highest standards of conduct and accountability.
Treatment begins with an initial screening and assessment process to determine the participant's suitability for treatment and identify specific treatment needs. This process is followed by the development of a customized treatment plan that will guide the participant's goals and objectives throughout the course of the program. The TC provides a safe and supportive environment in which participants can practice pro-social behaviors in accordance with TC standards of behavior.
Through intensive peer-to-peer interaction and communication, along with staff guidance and leadership, participants learn new ways of thinking and behaving that result in demonstrable and sustainable lifestyle change.
Knowledgeable, Professional Staff
CoreCivic's RDAP is administered by highly-trained, licensed or certified addictions professionals with a commitment to keeping abreast of the latest developments in addictions studies and utilizing evidence-based best practices to ensure quality program service delivery. CoreCivic's intensive and innovative company-paid learning and development strategies for addictions treatment professionals help CoreCivic recruit and retain the best and brightest in the addictions field.
Strong Associations
CoreCivic is a member of the National Association for Addiction Treatment Professionals (NAADAC), the largest national membership organization for addictions professionals, and is a NAADAC-approved education provider. Attaining this status was not an easy process. To do so, CoreCivic presented a 600-page plan outlining the company's philosophy, approach, practices and methods in addictions treatment. As a result of this rigorous examination, CoreCivic is able to provide quality continuing education opportunities that advance staff knowledge and skills in addiction-related content areas and provide continuing education units (CEUs) that are accepted by the National Certification Commission for Addictions Professionals and many of the individual state addictions licensing and certification boards.
Support Groups
Support groups are offered to offenders who recognize a need for additional help along the road to personal recovery. Available addictions treatment support group offerings can vary by facility, but may include:
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Faith-based programs
• Partners in Parenting
• Straight Ahead (a 10-part program developed by Texas Christian University’s Institute for Behavioral Research)
• Thinking for a Change (a 22-lesson program offered by the National Institute of Corrections)
• for those who so desire,
• Faith and Religion.
• Religious and spiritual outlets can serve as a stabilizing and motivating force for many.
• Cultivating and nurturing the spirituality of inmates is a proven way to help reawaken or develop a moral and ethical foundation. Faith-based programs can extend hope and lead to changes in thinking patterns, thereby helping inmates serve their time in productive ways as they prepare to lead meaningful lives upon release.
• CoreCivic's faith-based programs are diverse, completely voluntary, and available to all inmates. CoreCivic's network of chaplains – full-time employees who oversee faith-based services at our facilities – must command a deep respect and thorough understanding of various belief systems and needs to serve those in our care.
• CoreCivic chaplains also deal with legal questions and individual counseling. The core of their work, though, is rooted in a deep understanding of dozens of religions, and many of them have degrees in theology or divinity as well as a background as a minister or chaplain in hospitals or military settings.
• CoreCivic's Inmate Programs department provides our chaplains with resources detailing the specific history, customs, religious items and belief systems of nearly 40 major religions, including various Christian denominations, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Native American tribal religions and other lesser-known faith groups.
• Many religious services are held every week and are chaplain or volunteer-led. Religious services offer inmates the opportunity to connect with and grow their faith while serving their sentences.
• Faith-based programs include a non-sectarian training and service program dedicated to changing lives through Bible and other textual study. They include seminars, programs, instruction and other methods designed to build life skills, develop positive character traits, and change thinking patterns.
• CoreCivic offers Residential Community Programs that are faith-based, completely voluntary, and non-sectarian. These Residential Programs offer healthy character development in an environment that promotes pro-social attitudes and life skills.
• Faith-Based Partnerships
• The logistics and expense of putting faith-based programs into CoreCivic facilities throughout the nation are considerable. That’s where a number of partnerships come in. Several leading national and international ministries assist in the direction and administration of the programs, helping to refine and improve them each and every day. These include Champions for Life, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Habitat for Humanity, Prison Fellowship Saddleback Ministries, School of Christ International, Trinity Broadcasting Network and Wheels for the World, to name a few.
• Local Volunteer Support
• Few of CoreCivic's faith-based initiatives would be possible without the volunteer assistance provided by local churches, ministries and faith groups. Countless hours are devoted by those volunteer organizations who seek to share life-changing spirituality to CoreCivic's prison population.

Ultimately, our goal is to curb the cycle of recidivism. Supporting those who've been given a second chance to change their lives for the better helps make that impact.

What is "Community Corrections"?
"Community corrections" is a broad term used to describe numerous community-centric forms of correctional services, including residential reentry facilities, drug courts, treatment centers, and many others. At Avalon, our community corrections efforts focus on residential reentry centers, also known as "halfway houses." In Texas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, our halfway houses and local, community partners provide men and women with the skills, guidance, knowledge, and resources necessary to successfully make the transition from incarceration to free society. We provide housing, food, counseling, training, and many other services to those in our care. Our goal is that they will experience productive, rewarding lives upon their return to society.

Why reintegration services matter?
Halfway houses are where offenders receive true help reintegrating into society.

Halfway houses lower recidivism. The national average for recidivism (the rate of released offenders who re-offend and are re-incarcerated within three years of release) is 50%. After successful completion of Avalon’s HH program, that rate drops to 12-18%.

Halfway house beds are the most cost effective beds. Not only do these facilities give offenders the best chance for successful reintegration into society, but they also save millions of dollars in State budgets.

In Oklahoma, the average cost of a medium security bed (2009) is $56 per day per inmate. A halfway house bed costs the State $35 per day. Additionally, offenders at our facilities pay an average of $10 per day from their earnings back into the Department of Corrections.

Halfway house residents are employed in the community. This is the number one way to lower recidivism and break the cycle of crime and re-incarceration. 97-98% of all inmates will eventually be back in our communities but only 13% of those released last year in Oklahoma were released from halfway houses.

Those inmates released from higher security facilities do not have jobs, savings or reintegration assistance when released and are much more likely to re-offend. One in 100 adults in the United States is behind bars.

BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS HALFWAY HOUSES:
• Reduces recidivism
• Reduces crime
• More cost effective than building new prisons
• Reduces overcrowding
• Saves taxpayers millions of dollars in recurring incarceration costs
• Increases offenders' abilities to succeed
Our Mission: To break the cycle of crime by providing proven reintegration services.

We believe that change is possible.

Avalon Correctional Services, Inc. (Avalon) owns and operates community corrections centers, including halfway houses, which provide reintegration services for non-violent offenders serving the last 6 to 9 months of their sentences. Through our dedicated team and local partners, we provide our clients with reentry programs designed to successfully return them to their communities. Our clients leave our halfway houses with better life management skills, long term employment, and permanent housing — all important factors that reduce their likelihood to re-offend upon release.

Avalon has operated residential programs and residential treatment programs for over 29 years. Currently, they own and operate 10 residential halfway houses located in Texas, Wyoming, and Oklahoma. Together, these facilities provide residential reentry services including residential work release and residential treatment programs to more than 3,000 clients daily.