As a part of the Justice Reinvestment (JRI) Legislation of 2017, a portion of the savings attributable to criminal justice reform have been allocated to the Department to award incentive grants to community organizations that invest in programs and policies proven to reduce recidivism.
As a part of the Justice Reinvestment Legislation of 2017, a portion of the savings attributable to criminal justice reform have been allocated the Department of Corrections to award incentive grants to organizations that can deliver programs and policies that will enhance, expand and/or increase coordination of reentry services with the goal of expanding prison alternatives and reducing prison admissions and/or recidivism.
As of 2021, the Department of Corrections has awarded 17 CIG grants totaling over $13 million over three years to several community organizations who serve participants in the following parishes that account for a large portion of the state’s incarcerated population: Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge, Caddo, St. Tammany, Bossier, Calcasieu, Lafourche, Lafayette, Ouachita, Rapides and Terrebonne.
Learn more about the CIG program by clicking on the questions below, and exploring the map of CIG Providers.
The Community Incentive Grant (CIG) is a Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections funding opportunity that was created by Act 261 of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) legislation passed in 2017. The Department of Corrections reinvests 30% of the state’s criminal justice savings each fiscal year into grants for community-operated evidence-based programs and alternatives to prison that aim to reduce recidivism and decrease the state’s prison population.
One of these programs, the Communitive Incentive Grant (CIG) program, was launched in 2018. As of April 2021, the Department of Corrections has conducted two competitive funding rounds resulting in 17 CIG contracts with community organizations and local governments.
Each CIG contract lasts three years, and is focused on parishes that account for most of state’s population returning to the community from prison (i.e. Orleans, Jefferson, EBR, Caddo, St. Tammany, Bossier, Calcasieu, Lafayette, Lafourche, Ouachita, Rapides and Terrebonne).
In general, CIG organizations support individuals who are currently incarcerated and are about to release from DOC custody, or individuals who have just been released from DOC incarceration. There are a couple CIG providers who also support participants in authorized pretrial diversion or intervention programs.
CIG organizations provide intensive case management to evaluate and address each participant’s needs, pre- and post-release. Each CIG Provider has their own unique participant engagement strategies; however, most providers follow this basic model explained below.
Pre Release: While incarcerated, a participant attends an orientation of services with the CIG provider. If interested, the participant completes intake paperwork with their CIG case manager and begins planning for their needs upon release. The participant can follow-up with their case manager periodically about their case plan until they are released.
The CIG organization also works closely with facility staff. In some facilities, the CIG organization meets weekly with facility staff to review each CIG participant’s progress.
At-Release and Post-Release: Once an individual is released, CIG community organizations provide or refer individuals to a variety of services, and follow up for 3 to 12 months’ post-release. Case managers facilitate access to legal documentation, and enroll clients in social service benefits for which they qualify. CIG providers also coordinate with community partners, local reentry coalitions and Probation & Parole to ensure participant success.
For community members, you can reach out to the JRI Office at jriprograms@la.gov and we can connect you with the appropriate community provider in your area.
Please note, the community organization will conduct additional screening to ensure that the participant is eligible for CIG services.
For a full list of CIG organizations and the services they provide, please see the “CIG Provider List” located under CIG Public Resources.
