San Diego County Sheriff
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The Reentry Services Division (RSD) of the San Diego Sheriff's Office (SDSO) prepares individuals for successful reentry to their communities. Utilizing available grant funding due to the pandemic, RSD contracted with a community-based organization to build a leadership training program that develops individuals with lived criminal justice experience into Peer Reentry Leaders (PRLs). The Peer Reentry Leadership Academy (PRLA) is a 20-hour training that equips participants with knowledge and skills in Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, public speaking, reentry barriers and available community resources. Upon completion of the training, the PRL's are compensated for their time and welcomed to the San Diego County detention and reentry facilities to offer speaking engagements to the population, for which they also receive compensation. As Peer Reentry Leaders, these individuals can educate and deliver critical information to the reentry population in San Diego County. The restorative opportunity to give back builds confidence, knowledge, and skills; provides a network for support, employment, and educational opportunities; and expands connections to supportive resources for reentry populations. Due to the success of the PRLA, San Diego County has selected to fund this program for three more years with Proposition 47 funds; SDSD is grateful to continue to offer this source of inspiration to the incarcerated population and to continue to build a network of PRL's in our community.