NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Daniel E. Bosley, candidate for Berkshire County sheriff, has released more details on his plans for expanded reentry programs for inmates.

"It is important," said the candidate, "that we become proactive on following inmates back to the community to ensure that they stick with their reintegration programs. Inmates need to have a place that they can call if they have questions and they need to know that people are watching to make sure they stay on the plan designed for them."

Bosley commented that the average sentence served in a House of Correction is approximately nine months. He said that, "On the day an offender walks into the jail we need to start preparing them for the day they leave. That means an individual plan for rehabilitation tailored to each inmate."

Bosley said those nine months, however, are not enough time to fully rehabilitate an inmate. The candidate said that is why his re-entry plans are so important. "If punishment alone worked, no one would re-offend. However, we know that some inmates come back again and again. It is important to continue to follow them as they leave the House of Correction in order to give them the best chance to stay out and not re-offend."

Bosley outlined plans to work closely with probation, parole, community corrections and local services in order to maximize efforts while avoiding duplication. "If we wish to be successful in returning people to our communities, we need to provide more than a plan. We need to keep in touch, coordinate our efforts with other services in the community and proactively follow people through the re-entry process in order to ensure that they continue their plan. If we can stop people from re-offending, we make ourselves safer, more secure and save the system the expense of incarcerating that inmate again and again."

Bosley said he would convene monthly round table meetings with all of the participating agencies to track re-entry and discuss individual treatment plans and challenges.

Bosley said that part of his plan is to be active in neighborhoods throughout the county in order to develop programs that have a positive effect on the community as well as for the inmates. "This is all about taking ownership of a community as most citizens do. It is about developing a sense of community and responsibility," he said.