AB109: Adult Re-Entry Program

Barrios Unidos conducts services at the County Jail under the AB 109 Program offered by Barrios Unidos providing culturally-based and motivational enhancement for pro-social decision making within a life course framework of gang violence and desistance.  This includes the following: 

• Long-term community relationship building and support with gang members and their families.
  
• Development of pro-social supports and relationships to replace violent related behavior.
  
• Opportunities to make meaningful contributions through volunteer work tailored to individual skills and interests.  
  
• Providing a consistent social learning environment that teaches and reinforces key concepts of decision-making, alternatives to violence, personal responsibility and pro-social coping skills.
  
• On-going mentoring by positive role models who have changed their lives in a positive way and serve as mentors.
  
• Legal and political advocacy to remove systematic barriers to pro-social involvement and gang desistance.
  

 

The focus of the AB 109 program is to redirect these individuals into a positive life style, reducing the harms that they can create to themselves as well as others.  This approach will provide individuals the opportunities to set-up individual development goals, provide counseling services, establish nurturing relationships and establish adult mentor ship opportunities working with clients one-on-one to support the development of new attitudes, motivation, and behaviors.