Original Memorandum of Understanding with Sheriff Pelle
The following points, including several approved revisions, reflect the main agreements in the MOU with Sheriff Pelle.
FOCUS will present its program to various modules, men and women, in the Boulder County Jail. It will provide mentors to offenders who have made a request to enroll in this program (with the understanding that it is voluntary), and who have been deemed appropriate by the jail administration.
- We will conduct a needs assessment.
- We will liaise where appropriate, with existing agencies and personnel already involved in each case, i.e. social workers, probation officers, etc. with the permission of the offender.
- We will identify community resources for the offender and help find housing and employment.
- We will work with the offender to make contact with these resources.
- We will make contact, where appropriate, with the offender’s family and surface needed resources.
- We will act as a consistent point of reference for each offender.
- We will not act as therapists or spiritual advisors, but we may refer offenders to our diverse churches if they initiate a request.
- The only categories of offenders which are excluded from working with FOCUS mentors are sexual predators and significantly violent persons, with exceptions to these categories at the discretion of the jail commander.
- Mentoring is through same gender matches.
- Offenders who have a substance abuse problem are required to enroll in a bona fide support program post release in order for FOCUS to continue working with them.
