Assata Thomas, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Reentry Services, was a recent guest on the radio program I host at WWDB/AM called “The Inside SCOOP.” She shared with us just how important the Mayor’s Office of Reentry Services is.
“This office was built to support persons who have been impacted by mass incarceration,” stated Assata Thomas. “I became a member of the office in August 2022. At that time, we weren’t doing direct services. When I came on board, one of my first priorities was to bring direct services back into our office. I am so proud to lead this office. Some of the things we are currently doing are the Neighborhood Resource Centers. Those were designed for persons to be able to report to their parole and probation officer right in their community. With that, they have access to wrap-around services. Wrap-around services can be connected to benefits, which can mean assisting someone with getting identification. That can mean workforce development training, mental health, cognitive behavioral therapy, and so on. For a person to be able to report right in their community and get the help they need, that was the idea around the Neighborhood Resource Centers, so that’s some of the highlights. We also started a CDL Truck Driving training course at no cost to participants interested in a career in transportation.”
Thomas continued, “When a person is coming home from incarceration, one of the first things they are told is, ‘You gotta get a job. You gotta get a job.’ That’s true, but we also have to remember that we have to support a person holistically. Do they have a home? Where are they waking up every day? That’s another component we address. Another thing I’m really excited to talk about is we have just relaunched our juvenile reentry program. We have specific services geared at supporting juveniles who have been impacted by mass incarceration as well. I am extremely excited to lead the team that I lead. And we strive every day to impact the lives of people whose lives have been impacted by the criminal justice system.”
Assata Thomas went on to explain that she and her team have been very strategic in partnering with others who can help them offer resources to those who need them the most.
As Executive Director of ORP, Assata sets a clear vision and direction for a comprehensive citywide approach to improving reentry outcomes and reducing recidivism.
Prior to her current role, she served as Chief Community Justice Officer of the Institute for Community Justice (ICJ), a program of Philadelphia FIGHT. As Chief, she oversaw the effective execution of ICJ’s aims to provide support, education, and advocacy for individuals, families, and communities impacted by mass incarceration.
Assata has over 20 years of social service experience. She commenced her training as a Corrections Officer with the State of New Jersey and became the first female President of the Corrections Officers Training Academy of New Jersey. Concurrently, she received a B.A. with honors from Rutgers University in Africana and Urban Studies and a Master of Restorative Justice from Vermont Law and Graduate School.
She is a passionate advocate on behalf of those affected by mass incarceration; moreover, having lived through the experience of a felony conviction, she is uniquely qualified to speak with credibility and authority to the issues facing all who have been affected by the system. Her personal trajectory and hard-won successes fuel her passion for helping others.
The Office of Reentry Partnerships (ORP) elevates and organizes citywide reentry efforts by serving as the City’s hub for referrals, resources, and training.
The goals of the Office of Reentry Partnerships are to:
– Set a clear vision and direction for a measurable citywide approach to improving reentry outcomes.
– Drive and sustain an unprecedented level of coordination between the local government, other government partners, service providers, education and training programs, employers, and community members.
– Ensure that City reentry initiatives are research- and data-driven.
Examples of initiatives managed or staffed by the Office of Reentry Partnerships include the Philadelphia Reentry Coalition and the Neighborhood Resource Centers.
Want to know more about the Office of Reentry for the City of Philadelphia? Log onto their website at www.orp@phila.gov. The main office is located at 1425 Arch Street on the first floor, and the phone number is 215-683-3370.
In closing, one of the burning questions many people who are convicted felons have been asking since former President Donald Trump re-won the White House on November 5, 2024, is, do they have to report they are convicted felons anymore on job applications since the person who will be sworn in, as the 47th president of the United States has 34 convictions?
Ms. Assata wasn’t prepared to answer that question when I interviewed her the other day.
But just being real, that question is out there in the community.
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