Corrections personnel wade into simulated sea of parolees' red tape

“Frustrating.” “Eye-opening.” “Informative.”

Those were a few of the responses following a two-hour “reentry simulation” held Tuesday at Pennsylvania College of Technology. Attended by more than 50 criminal justice professionals, the interactive activity created a month in the life of individuals recently released from prison.

"The reentry simulation is an important part of the restorative practice approach we teach in our Human Services & Restorative Justice Program,” said Craig A. Miller, professor of history/political science and department head for social sciences and humanities. “The idea is to allow criminal justice professionals working in fields like corrections, probation, policing and reentry services to see what a month in the life of their clients is like. One of the principles of restorative practice is to be able to understand your client's perspective. This allows professionals to have more empathy and a better appreciation for the difficulties faced by their clients. We are very excited for the level of interest and participation from county criminal justice professionals."
 
Penn College hosted the reentry simulation in conjunction with representatives from the State Correctional Institution at Muncy. Invited participants were representatives from various Lycoming County offices and agencies, including adult and juvenile probation, vocational rehabilitation, county prison, police and corrections officials, and Court of Common Pleas judges. Coordinating the activity along with Miller was Penny L. Sines, parole manager, state Department of Corrections, Office of Reentry, North Central Region. Sines is also a member of Penn College’s Human Services & Restorative Justice Advisory Committee.

Staged in the spacious Field House, the simulation assigned participants to move through various “stations” addressing challenges clients face, including finding work, housing, transportation and child care; coping with drug and alcohol issues; and juggling parole requirements, among other necessities.
 
“I never realized what we put clients through, what we expect of them and what they go through when there’s only so much time to get everything done,” commented 2021 applied human services alumna Bryssa A. Dunkleberger, a bail release officer with Lycoming County.
 
After engaging in the simulation, those gathered participated in a one-hour debriefing to address experiences and share insights.
 
Geared specifically toward the criminal justice field, the reentry simulation differs from poverty simulations held in the Field House during the 2022-23 academic year.