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Contents Introduction ............... 3 The Problem ............... 4 The Solution ................ 8 The Possibility ........... 14 The Testimony .......... 16 Contact Us ............... 18
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Introduction
F
or the last ten years, the Ark of Hope has been dedicated to
providing a “home� to our clients and improving their quality of life. Founded in August of 2010, to serve an abandoned population in our community, The Ark of Hope’s major emphasis is to provide housing for formerly incarcerated individuals who have a dual diagnosis or a cooccurring disorder of mental illness and substance abuse. The Ark of Hope is a comprehensive Transitional Living Program committed to extending quality and affordable living services to those who need housing assistance while receiving treatment in the community.
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The Problem
A
fter three decades of explosive growth, the
nation’s prison population has reached some grim milestones: More than 1 in 100 American adults are behind bars. One in nine black men, ages 20 to 34, are serving time, as are 1 in 36 adult Hispanic men. Nationwide, the prison population hovers at almost 1.6 million, which surpasses all other countries for which there are reliable figures. The 50 states last year spent about $44 billion in tax dollars on corrections, up from nearly $11 billion in the year 1987. Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, and Oregon devote as much money or more to corrections as they do to higher education. These statistics, contained in a new report from the Pew Center on the States, point to a terrible waste of money and lives. They underscore the urgent challenge facing the federal government and cashstrapped states to reduce their overreliance on incarceration without
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sacrificing public safety.
locked up is essential for
on policy changes in Texas
The key, as some states are
maintaining a historic
and Kansas that have
learning, is getting smarter
crime drop since the
started to reduce their
about distinguishing
1990’s.
outsized prison populations
between violent criminals
In fact, the relationship
and address recidivism by
and dangerous repeat
between imprisonment
investing in ways to
offenders, who need a
and crime control is murky.
improve the success rates
prison cell, and low-risk
Some portion of the
for community supervision,
offenders, who can be
decline is attributable to
expanding treatment and
handled with effective
tough sentencing and
diversion programs, and
community supervision,
release policies. But crime
increasing use of sanctions
electronic monitoring and
is also affected by things
other than prison for minor
mandatory drug treatment
like economic trends and
parole and probation
programs, combined in
employment and drug-
violations. Recently, the
some cases with shorter
abuse rates.
Supreme Court and the
sentences. Persuading public
States that lagged
United States Sentencing
behind the national
Commission announced
officials to adopt a more
average in rising
sensible changes in the
rational, cost-effective
incarceration rates during
application of harsh
approach to prison policy
the 1990’s actually
mandatory minimum drug
is a daunting prospect,
experienced a steeper
sentences.
however, not least
decline in crime rates than
because building and
states above the national
country may finally be
running jailhouses has
average, according to the
waking up to the fiscal and
become a major industry.
Sentencing Project, a
moral costs of bulging
nonprofit group.
prisons.
Criminal behavior partly explains the size of
A rising number of
the prison population, but
states are broadening their
incarceration rates have
criminal sanctions with
continued to rise while
new options for low-risk
crime rates have fallen.
offenders that are a lot
Any effort to reduce the
cheaper than
prison population must
incarceration but still
consider the blunderbuss
protect the public and
impact of get-tough
hold offenders
sentencing laws adopted
accountable.
across the United States beginning in the 1970’s. Many Americans have
These are signs that the
© 2020 The New York Times Company
In New York, the crime rate has continued to drop despite efforts to reduce
come to believe, wrongly,
the number of nonviolent
that keeping an outsized
drug offenders in prison.
chunk of the population
The Pew report focuses
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The Solution
H
omelessness is a direct correlation to recidivism.
Yearly, approximately 700,000 individuals return home from state prisons in the United States. In addition, 9 million are released from county jails. Over 10% of those coming in and out of prison and jails are homeless in the months preceding and following their incarceration. (Council of State Governments, 2016) Being homeless, unstably housed, or living in a high crime neighborhood all heighten an individual’s risk of re-offending (Andrews & Bonta, 1995). Among ex-offenders, those with mental illness have a higher than average rates of homelessness and housing insecurity (Aidala et al., 2014; Brown etal., 2013; Council of State Governments, 2006; Fries et al., 2015). Homelessness is not just a public safety issue but a public health and community issue. At Terrell State Hospital, the region’s psychiatric hospital, a day costs $401.00 per patient. A day
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in the Dallas county jail
(White, 2019). $33,600.00
etc.). The Ark of Hope also
costs $70.00 per inmate,
was spent on high utilizers
provides the opportunity to
plus the expenses of
(repeat homeless
serve as permanent
booking and police time
offenders) in Feb. 2019 If
housing for clients if they
(Pishko, 2018).
the 321 unduplicated
choose to retain the
homeless people were in
residence in the
housing with wrap-around
jail February 2019 were in
transitional living home.
services in The Ark of Hope
supportive housing, the
The Ark of Hope provides
Transitional Living Program
cost would have been
housing, management of
is $40.00 per day per
$341, 544.00 (a savings of
residents, documentation
individual. This is
$186,336.00). Supportive
of all client’s whereabouts
comparable to other
housing is only two-thirds
with weekly reporting to
supportive housing
the cost of incarceration of
Probation Officers and the
programs funded through
homeless people.
Court Systems.
Comparatively,
Continuum of Care (lead
The Ark of Hope
homeless agency funded
Project Approach and
recently entered into an
by the U.S. Department of
Program Activities
MOU with God’s Truest
Housing and Urban Development to address homelessness) in Dallas County. This information shows that connecting criminal justice-involve homeless clients to permanent housing is much more cost effective than to provide crisis level services as clients repeatedly cycle through the criminal justice system. In February 2019, there were 341 (321 unduplicated) homeless people booked into jail with an average of 37 days in jail per person (white, 2019). Dallas County spent $572,880.00 ($539,280.00 unduplicated) in February 2019 on the 341 homeless people in jail
The Ark of Hope program has its roots in providing housing for Criminal Justice involved clients. The Ark of Hope presents a unique collaboration with Dallas County Criminal Justice Agencies, Homeless shelters, Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division, and other community-based housing programs to provide housing and case management services for an array of clients. The Ark of Hope uses existing community relationships to provide other needed wrap around services (i.e. Transportation, food, treatment services, medication management,
Miracles who receives a grant from Dallas County Community Supervision and Corrections Department. This grant is an incentive grant which provides vouchers for additional services for clients with both substance abuse and mild mental health disorders. These clients are referred to The Ark of Hope for housing through the Dallas County 4C and STAC Court diversion programs. The MOU with the Ark of Hope and God’s Truest Miracles was established as a collaborative initiative to improve the overall care and services to clients that are returning from a Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Unit.
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Capacity and Capabilities The Ark of Hope program staff provides a variety of services to our clients such as serving as court liaisons for multiple courts, connecting clients to community behavioral
•
State licensed
medication aid •
Specialty trained
The Ark of Hope is responsible for
remain in the community on average 4 times longer
clients in the home
than other similar housing
The Ark of Hope has
providers. The average
the capacity to provide
length of stay for mental
housing services to 60
health clients is 4 years and
clients in our multiple
for clients returning from
facilities.
substance abuse treatment is 90 days.
Performance Management
Geographic Area and Target Population
administering all grants administration
that Ark of Hope clients
lined staff to monitor
health resources and other services.
Our current data shows
Many clients that
/management and
qualify for the Ark of Hope
reporting requirements to
services are released back
eligible criminal justice
the referring agency. The
into homelessness and
involved clients (those in
Ark of Hope staffs convene
joblessness only to return to
jail, homeless clients, those
at regular meetings and
jail repeatedly; often for
participating in specialty
provide written monthly
petty crimes such as
programs, and those
client progress reports and
criminal trespassing and
under community
ensure information for
loitering. The goal of the
supervision).
reports and expenses are
Ark of Hope is to reduce
collected and processed.
rates of recidivism among
years or older (any
The Ark of Hope is
Criminal Justice involved
gender). Housing is for
clients.
adults with no children
committed to providing quality and affordable
Hence, reports and
The Ark of Hope serves
Clients must be 18-
living with them.
living services to those who
information from the
need assistance with
program manager are
mental health issues,
discussed at the monthly
physical issues, and
meetings. Additionally, we
substance abuse\
perform data analysis
currently receives no
substance recovery.
comparing recidivism rates
federal or state funds and
The Ark of Hope
of program clients post
has no debt beyond basic
provides the following:
housing with their pre-
operating expenses. The
housing recidivism rates to
Ark of Hope has applied
comfortable living
determine if the program is
for a grant through the
environment
accomplishing the goal to
North Central Texas
reduce rates of recidivism
Council of Governments.
•
• worker
Clean and
Masters level case
Sustainability The Ark of Hope
among this population.
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rent, which is then sub-
with the part of your
rented to our clients. We
organizational priorities
he Ark of Hope seeks
do this by identifying
and values, that seeks to
to partner with both
property in our local area
help those who are the
individuals and,
that fits the room
forgotten men and
organizations. If you are a
requirements we need to
women of communities, by
government agency, a for
house our clients.
offering volunteer support
The Possibility
T
locally and regionally.
or non-profit business, a charitable foundation or private individual, we can
Sustainability and
help you realize a part of
Future Growth
engagement
your vision that may be based in establishing a
Promote employee
The Ark of Hope is
positive social impact in
currently in the initial
the world.
stages of purchasing
of Hope offers a range of
We are growing an
Partnering with The Ark
property in South Dallas,
tailored opportunities for
effective and sustainable
developing a site plan to
your members /
business model that
be approved by the city of
employees to share their
creates impact by serving
Dallas, and building a
expertise and develop
an abandoned population
series of multi-bedroom
their skills by supporting our
in our community, The Ark
homes in a village
clients or engaging directly
of Hope’s major emphasis
campus, to provide our
with those who may yet still
is to provide housing for
clients with an drug and
be in the correctional
formerly incarcerated
alcohol free environment.
system.
individuals who have a
The Ark of Hope is
dual diagnosis or a co-
financially stable and able
occurring disorder of
to provide services at its
mental illness and
Engaging with Like
current level for the next 10
substance abuse.
years. However, our desire
Minds
The Ark of Hope brings
is to grow our model and
together partners and
expand the impact of our
supporters with aligned
organization. Our model is
goals to create transitional
only limited by land and
housing solutions for a
capital investment.
segment of the American population who desperately needs it. Currently our ability to
An alliance with The Ark of Hope will help you expand your community profile and broaden your perspectives through the many formal and informal
Creating Impact That
opportunities we offer to
Lasts
tough the hurting, help those in need, feel the
grow at a greater speed By partnering with The
weight of the burden of
the fact that our model is
Ark of Hope, you have an
others, and change the
based on space that we
automatic connection
lives of others forevermore.
and scale is only limited by
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Elder Charles Rollins 15
The Testimony
M
r. Rollins has quite the story to tell. While serving
out a prison sentence, he found Christ during the lowest point in his life. After his release from prison, he had nowhere to turn, but The Ark of Hope provided his ticket to redemption and a reimagined new life. These Days he is married, a church elder, and owns his own car. He has rebuilt a new life with the help and of The Ark of Hope. He is also been cleared to go back into the prison system, to preach and share his story with current inmates. He has worked with Etho Pugh for the past 7 years, and his story speaks volumes to the mission and success of The Ark of Hope.
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Etho T. Pugh, MA Criminal Justice Founder / CEO The Ark of Hope
Contact Us The Ark of Hope 701 Ashbury Dr Midlothian, TX 76065 w: www.AoHDallas.org e: ethpugh@yahoo.com p: 682.554.9996
Etho T. Pugh, Jr. Service Coordinator The Ark of Hope
C.J. Johnson Medication Aide / Case Worker The Ark of Hope
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