BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A new Connection and Intervention Station (CIS) in Boise will help those on probation and parole stay out of the prison system.
“Participants come into our program needing our help,” said Lesette Ortiz, Boise’s CIS Program Manager. “It could be anything from recovery like recovering from substance abuse or just learning how to stay out of trouble”
Ortiz manages the intervention center here in Boise.
The program is called GEO.
There are four stations throughout Idaho. Those in IDOC Districts three and four are eligible to get help from the station in Boise through a recommendation process by supervising officers.
Evette Navedo, GEO Reentry’s statewide manager says the program identifies drivers behind behaviors behind criminal thinking so that people can stop them before they happen.
“We're helping individuals be successful in the community,” Navedo said. “We don't want them to return unfinished time in prison.”
This program was chosen by IDOC through funding given by the Idaho Legislature.
IDOC says GEO provides one-on-one therapy, group sessions and evidence-based programming. IDOC Probation and Parole District Three Manager Cory Barrier says the collaboration has gone well.
“As a society, we pay a lot of money to send people through the court system and to jail and to prison. And to have them released only to, you know, re-offend later on,” Barrier said. “And so this is really trying to help people change their behavior change their thinking pattern, so they can make good decisions and stay in the community, which saves us all a lot of money in the end.”
Moira Lynch, IDOC Probation and Parole District Four Manager says there is more to the program than efficiency in the program.
“It provides hope to people,” Lynch said.
While the building has classrooms and meeting areas, GEO places an emphasis on community collaboration.
“The essential factors into the success of the program is our community engagement, really ensuring that we're partnership, partnering with the community resources and having that support and engagement from our community,” Navedo said.
And Lynch, who’s worked with IDOC for over 20 years, says help goes beyond the person and into the community.
“I've seen so many examples of when you help one person, you're not just helping one person you're helping their children, you're helping their grandchildren,” Lynch said. “I've seen that so often in the years I’ve been doing this. That ‘hope’ is what I think of. It's not just for Christmas, It's for all time.”
For more information on this program, you can go toreentryidaho.com
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