2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
Boston, MA
June 2, 2010
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
PURPOSE

To present NOBLE's and NEC's perspective on why
Law Enforcement agencies should support Reentry
initiatives.

Demonstrate the benefits of partnering with formerly
incarcerated individuals to address offender reentry issues
that enhance public safety in our country.
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
 The question that has to be asked is whether or not we have
the moral courage and intestinal fortitude to make a
difference?
 It takes effort on the part of entire communities to turn this
situation around.
 No one individual or entity has all the answers. We have
to work collaboratively and develop strategic approaches
to this perplexing issue.
Men United For A Better Philadelphia
Historical Background
 Men United For A Better Philadelphia (MUBP) is a
grassroots organization that was organized to decrease the
violence in the city.
 It was formed in 2002 by Malik Aziz.
 The various programs under MUBP were:
 Safe Schools, Safe Communities
 Count Me Out (gang prevention program)
 Adolescent Violence Prevention Partnership (AVRP)
In 2001 the Mayor’s Office for Community
Services created the “Safe Schools, Safer
Communities Program,” headed by Malik Aziz.
Areas of concentration Included;
 Conflict Resolution
 Violence Prevention
 Gang Prevention and
 Community Service
Intervention
 Peer Mediation
 Behavior Adjustment
 Life Coach Mentoring
Men United For A Better Philadelphia
PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE,PA
A Growing Need:
 Malik Aziz, while at the Mayor’s office, saw a need for a
bigger role in the way to prevent violence, not just in
Philadelphia, but across America.
 The National Exhoodus Council (NEC) was formed in 2007
to utilize the talents of formally incarcerated professionals
to address the critical issues of youth violence, gang
violence and youth incarceration.
The Exhoodus Tour
NATIONAL EXHOODUS COUNCIL
The National Exhoodus Council:
Proposal for Peace and Jobs
 The National Exhoodus Council (NEC) is a national, broad
based coalition of formerly incarcerated community based,
organizational leaders, who have been called together to
address the twin problems of gang violence and the annual
resettlement (reentry) of 700,000 people from state and
federal prisons to urban cities across America.
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
Facing Reality
 If we take a look at our nation’s economy and the reality
that funding may not be available to pay for all of our
governmental services, we must be concerned.
 Not since the 1930s, have law enforcement and other
governmental administrators been called on to this degree
to maximize their resources and prioritize the use of their
services.
 The reality may very well be that we cannot and perhaps
should not incarcerate at the rate of the present level.
What are the challenges?
 To change the criminal justice paradigm from an
adversarial relationship between the state, people in prison
and the communities from which they come, to a more
collaborative one.
 To encourage and foster a relationship in which the state,
community and people in prison work together
cooperatively in addressing individual and community
problems.
 To work with people in prison, helping them become assets
to their communities.
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
 "I believe we must create a pathway for people coming out
of jail to get the jobs, skills, and education they need to
leave a life of crime. That means supporting effective
training and mentoring programs to help people transition
into jobs. That means reevaluating the laws against hiring
people with a criminal record so that we don't foreclose
effective ways to bring people out of poverty and deter
them from committing new crimes. That also means giving
former prisoners parenting skills so they can give their
children the sense of hope and opportunity that so many of
them were denied.”
 – President-Elect Obama
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
 The growing numbers of offenders released to communities, is
directly linked to increased enforcement prosecutions, during
the past 20 years. These individuals have begun to return to
areas that are significantly different, both economically, and
demographically from the eras when they were originally
incarcerated.
 NOBLE’s leadership recognized the necessity for law
enforcement executives to seek new and innovative strategies to
address the issue of offender reentry. A partnership was
subsequently formed with NEC to address this issue and aide in
reshaping the national debate surrounding the benefits of
implementing offender reentry strategies. Consultations are
held monthly between key representatives of NOBLE and NEC.
DR COSBY “SAVE OUR CHILDREN”
DR. COSBY COUNSELS MALIK
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
 NOBLE has always expressed concern about the high rate
of recidivism in our nation, its negative impact on our
communities.
 Perhaps more important, the debilitating effect that
such recidivating has on the lives of the young women
and men involved and on their families.
 NOBLE supports the concept of redemption and endorse
the value of a second chance.
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
 March 2009 - Joint Press release with NEC regarding
Oakland PD and Philadelphia PD officer’s deaths.
 April 2009 - NOBLE National President represented
NOBLE at a Press Conference in the Rayborn Bldg. in
support of NEC roll out.
 July 2009 - Co Presentation between NOBLE’s Correction,
Probation and Parole Committee and NEC at NOBLE’s 33rd
Annual Training Conference devoted to law enforcement’s
role in meeting offender reentry challenges.
Cognitive Transformation Using Positive Peer
Intervention
NEC utilizes the Cognitive Transformation Model based
upon the life of Malcolm X, a criminal turned human rights
leader, activist and outspoken advocate for social justice.
Before transforming into Malcolm X, his life orbited
around urban crime in the form of drugs, larceny and vice.
His criminal proclivities would eventually earn him 10 years
in prison where he met peers who even in the deplorable
environment managed to evolve into enlightened, law
abiding citizens.
SAVE OUR SEED, ATLANTIC CITY
Areas of Transformation Include:
 Peer Interaction
 Utilizing The Power of Education
 Realistic Goal Setting
 Count Me Out
 Field Trips
 Community Service
 Meaningful Mentorship
How Do We Know It Works?
NEC members have a
zero recidivism rate.
Current NEC Cities












Philadelphia, PA
Memphis, TN
Dothan, AL
Atlantic City, NJ
Irvington, NJ
Newark, NJ
Camden, NJ
Chester, PA
Harlem, NY
Bronx, NY
Queens, NY
Tallahassee, FL












Saint Louis, MO
Chicago, IL
Los Angeles, CA
Seattle, WA
Portland, OR
Little Rock, AK
Houston, TX
Dayton, OH
Pittsburgh, PA
Winston Salem, NC
Richmond, VA
New Orleans, LA
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
COLLABORATIONS
 July 2009 - NEC presents at NOBLE’s 32nd Annual Training Conference
 NEC members meet with incarcerated youth in Norfolk Juvenile Detention Center
 October 2009 - NOBLE and NEC held a symposium during Congressional Black Caucus
week on Capitol Hill. The Symposium focused on NEC’s Executive position paper
regarding offender re-entry, and NOBLE’s position paper regarding law enforcement’s
role to develop appropriate protocols for engagement with formerly incarcerated
individuals.
 January 2010 – NOBLE’s Immediate Past President participated with NEC in a Rural
Mayors Symposium focused on offender re-entry in Harrisburg, PA consisting of law
enforcement, faith based, public sector and non-profit organizations.
 February 2010 – NOBLE Immediate Past President and members of NOBLE’s
Philadelphia Chapter participated with NEC in a Stop the Violence Rally in Chester, PA
focused on reducing juvenile violence with law enforcement, faith based, public sector
and non profit organizations.
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
WHAT TOOLS DO WE HAVE?
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
2006 - National Policy Summit on Offender Re-Entry
 Purpose: Consider what role law enforcement
executives and their agencies should assume in the
offender reentry initiative.
 The recommendations and the summary of the summit
were published in the IACP/COPS National Policy
Summit Final Report Offender Re-Entry.
 NOBLE’s Research conducted during 2009 and
development of a position paper.
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals
 Law enforcement agencies and their community partners
should meet and clearly define reasonable and realistic
objectives for their offender re-entry efforts and establish
an organizational structure and operational guidelines that
will enable them to achieve their objectives. If the re- entry
program is in operation the law enforcement executive
could ask to review the established guidelines and make
appropriate recommendations for improvement.
 Law enforcement executives should emphasize the fact that
offender re-entry efforts are designed to reduce crime and
enhance public safety when seeking support for the
program.
2010 National Conference of the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals


Professional Law Enforcement organizations (like
NOBLE) should articulate their support for offender reentry efforts and encourage their membership to support
and become involved in re-entry programs. Executives
should also ensure the involvement of management,
command, mid-level management and patrol officers in
the offender re-entry efforts.
Law enforcement executives should identify existing
offender re-entry efforts and evaluate which programs
their agencies may productively collaborate with
community stakeholders.
For More Information:
Malik Aziz
National Chairman
633 Cheswick Road
Philadelphia, PA 19128
215-539-3218
E-mail:
necmalik@yahoo.com
Dr. Divine Pryor
Director, NEC Policy and
Development
516-503-9692
Center for Nu Leadership on
Urban Solutions, School of
Professional & Community
Development
Medger Evers College of the
CUNY
For more information contact the National Organization of Black Law
Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
Phone: (703) 658-1529
Website: WWW.NOBLENATL.ORG