County program pays 60 former inmates $600 monthly for 1 year

Mecklenburg County’s Criminal Justice Service program is paying 60 former jail inmates a monthly stipend of $600 for one year, officials announced on Monday .

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“We are excited to implement this pilot program and see how the initiative helps those residents,” said Sonya L. Harper, Criminal Justice Services director. “When you work with the reentry population, we know there are barriers to success. These are people looking for a new start and Mecklenburg County is here to help.”

The money can be used in five categories:

• Childcare
• Health
• Drug abuse treatment
• Education
• General welfare, including housing and utilities.

The pilot program will also have a control group of 60 formerly incarcerated residents, who will not receive funds but will be tracked through quarterly meetings and check-ins.

“The two groups will provide data for investment effectiveness and future funding considerations,” officials said in a news release.

The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners set aside $500,000 for the Supplemental Income Pilot Program.

The program began with a directive from the board of commissioners “to address inequity in the community and is the first of three initiatives to roll out from the Mecklenburg County Office of Equity and Inclusion.”

VIDEO: Federal inmates being moved from Meck jail to private prison in Georgia