From Action News Now

The Butte County Probation Department’s ‘Male Community Rehabilitation Program’ in Oroville works to reduce the tendency of convicted criminals to reoffend.

Last month the state gave the program $399,300 to fund the alcohol and drug treatment services, allowing 20 additional participants and 2 new officers.

“I really do think most people don’t want to go back to jail and don’t want the same thing to happen to them that got them there in the first place,” said Michael Rogers, Supervising Probation Officer at MCRP. 

The program has proved to be a great success in reducing recidivism and providing participants with important life skills.

“Housing, fiscal stability, alcohol and drug counseling, anger management counseling, that kind of thing,” said Rogers. 

“I’ve been in the program for a while and have been able to set a positive example for other inmates showing them they can succeed also,” said Sean Reardon, an inmate at MCRP.

In total, there have been 112 participants and 74 graduates, 71 of the graduates have stable employment and 67 have stable housing.

“I’m not a parent and I’m not a violent offender, but I feel they have given me a lot of tools to do well in society,” said Reardon.

Getting a simple ID card or accessing health care can impact a probationer’s ability to get and keep a job and gain financial stability.

The program has helped participants obtain 61 California ID cards, 42 social security cards and 62 birth certificates.

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