The Covington Day Reporting Center (DRC) recently faced a major challenge that ultimately led to a huge success. Akeisha Penn, Program Manager for the Covington DRC in Louisiana, remembers when Emanuel Barr asked the program managers at the Eastern Regional Business Review last June, “Who can you count on in your community to be a champion for your center?” That really hit home for her. Louisiana had recently closed three facilities due to severe budget cuts in the state, and Akeisha didn’t want that to happen to Covington DRC.
Akeisha began speaking with judges, attending drug court, and making regular visits to the 22nd Judicial Court. This community involvement led to her being asked to be involved on a committee of the Louisiana Prisoner Reentry Initiative Board which was organized to find gaps in community resources for reentry. In August 2016, the judges for the 22nd District Court sent a letter to James LeBlanc, Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, commending the Covington DRC saying “Akeisha Penn and her staff have created a cost-efficient and effective alternative.” When Secretary Leblanc read the letter, he decided he wanted to see it for himself.
The Covington DRC took this opportunity to host an open house on November 30, 2016. Not only was the Secretary there, but also state representatives, judicial court judges, probation and parole directors, managers, supervisors, executives, and staff from The GEO Group – more than fifty people attended in total.
The open house featured a continental breakfast, tours of the DRC, information tables with reentry information, and a technology table with the latest electronic monitoring products and services. The event opened with an overview of the Covington DRC emphasizing the importance of reentry to the community. The attendees then went around the room introducing themselves before going on tours where they saw classes in process, and met participants who answered questions and shared their stories. The Secretary said he would work to get the DRCs that shut down back in operation.
Akeisha said, “Not only did the meetings help save the Covington DRC, but it has resulted in opportunities to participate in other community organizations. We are getting to know many people in the community and these organizations now understand the great work GEO is doing!”
Pictured: Front row: District Administrator for the Covington District Kevin Hidalgo, Senior Vice President and President, GEO Care, Ann Schlarb, Executive Management Advisor for the Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C) Angela Whittaker, Program Manager for the Covington DRC Akeisha Penn, DPS&C Secretary James Leblanc, DPS&C Deputy Director Pete Fremin, and DPS&C Regional Director Patricia Murphy. Back row: DPS&C Assistant Secretary Rhett Covington, DPS&C Covington District Supervisor Cline Jenkins,GEO Reentry District Manager Tracy Stevens, and DPS&C Deputy Director Bobbie “Jamie” Lee.
