The Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium (NMORC), a federally grant funded program under the Michigan Center for Rural Health (MCRH) sponsored a “Jail Release Simulation” event in Antrim County on October 11, 2024, at the Kearney Township Hall. To ‘walk in the shoes’ of someone released from serving time gives invaluable insight for professionals tasked with helping these individuals achieve a successful reentry as well as community members who want to understand the process.
This simulation was modeled from a program created by the West Virginia Department of Justice. Two ‘roles’ are needed to make the simulation realistic, and registrants can choose to be Volunteers or Participants. Volunteers become the ‘people behind the counter’ at the 16 stations that represent social services, work, shops, transportation, rent, etc. These stations constitute the core of activities of daily living as well as other activities that are pertinent to the released population.
Participants assume an identity of someone released from incarceration. They receive a storyline that includes their time spent incarcerated, education level, living arrangements to which they will return, and any possessions they may have accumulated while incarcerated. Each week they have required tasks that must be accomplished to remain compliant with their probation. In addition, participants must complete everyday tasks such as buying groceries and completing/finding work.
The participants also receive a packet containing personal inventory they accumulated before and while incarcerated, that they retain upon release. These items can include money (from their arrival or earned while incarcerated), property they can pawn, identification documents (there are three forms of ID they must have to fully engage at the stations during the simulation) and transportation (bus) tickets. Once the concept is explained and they have time to review their individual scenarios, the simulation begins. Over the next four weeks that are simulated as 15-minute segments, the participants navigate their way through the tasks without much more direction than you read here, which is typical of the scenario many face in real life.
In between the “weeks,” Jeanne Marriott, Project Associate for NMORC, facilitated discussion points and asked participants about their experience. Many found the situation to be anxiety provoking and were frustrated with the long lines and simulation’s demands. One comment other than we are finding from the resource providers at the tables!”
The participants and attendees at the Bellaire event were comprised of community leaders, law enforcement professionals, court professionals, those working with the incarcerated population, civic leaders, and members of the community at large. Once the four weeks of simulation were completed, attendees were encouraged to form small groups and discuss the barriers and potential changes to make the process better for those recently released from incarceration.
“A lot of the returning citizens, they work harder than most of us because they have all these extra things that they have to accomplish in their week or in their day. And they cannot make any mistakes... everything is going to be amplified,” said Matt Mansfield, Networks Northwest Offender Success team member, and a volunteer for the Jail Release events.
Participant Chuck Hayes was surprised by the experience saying, “Before, I thought these were all good systems in place. But having gone through it now, it’s like, ‘Okay, I’ve seen other people turn [to] almost criminal activity trying to get what you need to do throughout this process.”
The Antrim County simulation was the second in the region; the first was held in Grand Traverse County in May, and both were well received. Additional “Jail Release Simulations are in the planning stage. If you are interested in learning more or would like to attend a future simulation, please reach out to the event coordinator: Jeanne Marriott, Project Associate, NMORC at jeanne.marriott@affiliate.msu.edu.
For more information on the Michigan Center for Rural Health, please visit: www.mcrh.msu.edu.