NewsSeptember 2015Santa Barbara DRC Graduates At the Santa Maria ceremony, held at the Radisson Hotel, 29 clients were honored for completing the program. The program’s Client of the Year Award was given to Humberto Gutierrez, whose achievements include obtaining full time employment, reuniting with his children, moving from a Sober Living Environment to his own residence, and providing steadfast support to other returning offenders. Mr. Gutierrez’s fellow graduate Leslie Kamery gave a stirring speech at the event and was featured on the front page of the August 13th edition of the Santa Maria Times. One of the ceremony’s notable attendees was Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, who praised the graduates and spoke about the continued success of the DRC’s, stating “we have had over 700 people who have gone through this program. Those are 700 of the people who would be most at risk of re-offending, most at risk of committing serious offenses again.” Sheriff Brown was also presented with an award from CSI for his support of reentry programs and services. The Santa Barbara ceremony, held at the Unitarian Church, honored 22 graduating clients. Of the graduates, two received further recognition for their outstanding performances, including Tongee Tomlinson, who won the Tom Jenkins/Mark Mahurin Client of the Year Award. Following her release from a six-year sentence, Ms. Tomlinson entered the DRC and is now attending Santa Barbara City College, where she earned a 4.0 GPA during her first year. She currently acts as a mentor in the SBCC Transitions Program. Edgar Miguel was the second graduate to earn individual acclaim, receiving a Community Service Award for his 65 hours of completed community service (25 hours are required for all DRC clients). Santa Barbara Client of the Year Tongee Tomlinson The DRC programs offer a variety of services, including case management, employment assistance, and community service opportunities, with the goal of giving clients the tools to successfully reenter their communities. By completing the programs, clients with significant risks of re-offending are able to learn valuable skills and reduce their likelihood to recidivate. For recent news about the Santa Barbara and Santa Maria Day Reporting Centers, visit http://csi-online.org/news/csi-cali.html. For more information about Day Reporting Centers at CSI, visit http://csi-online.org/adult_services/day_reporting_center.html. |