Why should a community replicate Gemma?

In the past three decades, the number of women incarcerated in jails and prisons in the United States has increased more than 750%.

Local governments spend $25 billion annually to operate the 3,116 jails across the United States.

Jails are considered the front door to mass incarceration.

These precious local resources continue to be spent as neither a response to an increase in crime nor an effective prevention of it.

We believe women and communities across the country need access to a program that has proven success in reducing harm to individuals and communities and saves money.

• The Gemma Project serves ~ 75 women per year

• The average annual cost of detaining a person in jail in the US is approximately $35,663

• On average, incarcerating 75 women in the US costs ~ $2,674,725 annually and results in 70% of those individuals returning to jail once released

• Providing The Gemma Project for those same 75 women for 18 months costs ~ $425,000 and results in 30% of them returning to jail once released

What does replication of The Gemma Project model include?

Model site replication support includes structured, hands-on site and data analysis, identification of local partners as well as barriers, curriculum instruction and training for jurisdictions to implement their own Gemma In-custody Day Program and Continuing Care Reentry Program.

We provide on-going technical assistance to assure each program is operating to fidelity, overcoming barriers, and producing positive human and financial results.

Site Replication includes the following steps:

Step 1: READINESS ASSESSMENT

• Needs and Assets Assessment

• Landscape and Resource Analysis

• Policy Analysis

Step 2: RECOMMENDATION ROADMAP

• Provide Jurisdictions with next steps to implementation including:

  • Identification of key partners

  • Creation and leveraging of existing resources

  • Potential solutions to barriers

Step 3: IMPLEMENTATION

• Convening of Local Partnership Coalition

• Customization of curriculum to meet local needs

• Assistance with in-custody coordination

• Curriculum training for program providers and system partners

• Data collection training including data sharing agreements

• Assistance with launch of program

Step 4: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

• to problem solve implementation challenges

• to assure program is operating to fidelity

• to assure accurate data collection and analysis of outcomes and results

• regular All-Site Gemma Project National Coalition meeting for problem solving, innovation and resource sharing, and an opportunity to learn from each other