Peer Reentry Leadership Academy (PRLA)

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

The Reentry Services Division (RSD) of the San Diego Sheriff's Department (SDSD) prepares individuals for successful reentry to their communities. When the pandemic began, the SDSD worked diligently to mitigate and address the impacts of COVID-19 within detention facilities, including preparing the population to safely re-enter the community. This preparation included instilling the population with the necessary information such as how to stay healthy during the pandemic. Utilizing available grant funding, RSD contracted a community based organization to build a leadership training program that develops individuals with lived criminal justice experience into Peer Reentry Leaders (PRLs). The program was called the Peer Reentry Leadership Academy (PRLA). As Peer Reentry Leaders, these individuals can educate and deliver critical information to the reentry population in San Diego County