The homelessness issue among convicts and persons released from prisons and remand centres is on the rise. Of the entire homeless population, 47.3% are former inmates (released over the previous 5 years – Pomeranian Centre for Exiting Homelessness, 2012). The loss of a personal home exacerbates exclusion and limits capacity for lifestyle changes to socially acceptable options. The Social Re-Adaptation Centre operated by the Association is the only one in Warsaw targeting convicts exclusively.
The project purpose was to prevent the social exclusion of persons released from penitentiary units by providing them with conditions for proper development in the society, and thus to reduce the number of reoffenders.
Assistance was provided to 182 men (average time spent at the Centre: 4 months), legal assistance offered to convicts and their families (approximately 1,000 aid cases). Thirty seven, 39, and 29 persons became self-sufficient, began addiction treatment, and joined AA groups, respectively.
A 24-hour aid centre for homeless men released from penitentiary units was operated (23 beds, meals, clothing, detergents), including individual work with every resident against a jointly developed plan of exiting homelessness (clarification of legal circumstances, keeping in touch with the probation officer, repaying debt, resolving old-age/health pension issues, attempts to contact the family, initiating treatment, addiction/psychological therapy, job seeking, applying for accommodation etc., caring for personal hygiene, and relationships and order at the Centre). On-site, telephone, and correspondence-based legal aid was provided to former inmates, their families and the homeless (approximately 1,000 aid cases, 39 legal letters).
Project beneficiaries included 182 men who left penitentiary units less than 6 months before applying to the Centre, and approximately 1,000 legal aid recipients.