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UNLOCKING DOORS™ TEAMS UP WITH HIGH-TECH SOFTWARE COMPANY TO MAKE COMMUNITIES SAFER AND IMPROVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
DALLAS NON-PROFIT USES NEW INNOVATIVE SOFTWARE TO REDUCE CRIME AND HELP EX-OFFENDERS TRANSITION SMOOTHLY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY
DALLAS – February 15,2017– Unlocking DOORS™ – Texas’ most innovative and comprehensive “community reentry network” for ex-offenders – has begun using the ground-breaking Pieces Iris™ software to help its staff reduce crime and improve success rates for people with criminal backgrounds who are transitioning back into the community.
Pieces Technologies is a Dallas-based health information company with a goal of connecting social services and healthcare systems to advance health at every decision. The Pieces software has already helped transform healthcare; but this is the first time it has been used to improve the criminal justice system.
“The Pieces Iris™ software will be a game-changer in helping us reduce crime in the community and save taxpayer dollars,” said Christina Melton Crain, Founder, President and CEO of Unlocking DOORS™. “This innovative software is a leading-edge tool that lets us interpret and share data in real-time. It already has and will continue to have a huge impact on our ability to provide a smooth and seamless transition back into society for individuals with criminal backgrounds while giving us the much needed analytics to determine ongoing best practices.”
The Pieces Iris™ software could help social services organizations, like Unlocking Doors, have a major economic impact on the state of Texas. It costs roughly $40,000 a year on average to house an inmate; and, existing analytics demonstrate that more than 4 in 10 offenders will return to state prison within 3 years of their release, costing taxpayer dollars, increasing the crime rate and destroying the chances for a healthy and productive society, according to Crain. The above numbers are significant, with some 70,000 plus individuals returning from Federal and state prisons and jails, as well as local county jails, to our Texas communities annually. Given the daily influx of offenders attempting reintegration into our communities, it is vital to our society’s long term safety, well-being andfuture that we provide the necessary assistance to help make the offender’s reentry into the community and their future one that is clear from further involvement with the law.“We can save the state millions of dollars annually by increasing the number of people who remain in the community permanently versus going back to prison/jail,” she said.
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Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Dallas, Unlocking DOORS™ is a comprehensive statewide non-profit “community reentry network” that guides people with criminal backgrounds to a future of self-sufficiency that is crime-free. The Network uses a unique and highly-successful “Reentry Brokerage™/Data and Predictive Trends” program model that gives ex-offenders the right tools they need to transition smoothly back into society and avoid recidivism – or repeat offending.
“Data and predictive trends are at the core of Unlocking Doors™’ mission, and thanks to the Pieces Iris™ technology, we have greatly enhanced our ability to reduce crime and strengthen communities throughout Texas,” said Crain. “Pieces Technologies’ software tools enable us to safely share data and seamlessly refer ex-offenders across our growing network. It’s given us a huge piece of the puzzle in helping ex-offenders become productive, working citizens.”
Unlocking DOORS™ is using the Pieces Iris™ software - a configurable, client-centered case- management (in this case, Reentry Brokerage™) tool designed specifically for non-profit and social service agencies. The funding for this collaboration with Pieces Technologies was made possible through a grant made by the Meadows Foundation.
“We are thrilled to team up with Unlocking DOORS™ to strengthen communities, create a culture of health and help all individuals achieve their highest potential,” said Dr. Ruben Amarasingham, President and CEO of Pieces Technologies. The organization’s Reentry Brokerage™ consists of Reentry Brokers™ conducting a comprehensive risk/needs assessment of each client from which they develop an individualized plan that connects the client with the right services/resources that will best allow specific needs to be addressed/met - jobs, housing, medical care, education, etc.). Clients’ progress is monitored via the Unlocking DOORS™’ TRACE Client Database, with new referrals or re-brokerage occurring as needed.
Unlocking DOORS™ is collaborating with Pieces Technologies to fold out a coordinated integration plan to its Network of 150 plus partners/providers that will take coordination and continuum of care to the next level. One of Unlocking DOORS™’ brokered partners/providers - Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA) – is already using the software in conjunction with more than 49 homeless organizations in Dallas and Collin County. Other types of Pieces software have been used with great success at Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas.
Unlocking DOORS™ is a growing network. Headquartered in Dallas County, with an office in Tarrant County, it plans to expand throughout the State of Texas with the opening of locations in Bexar, Harris and Travis Counties by 2018. For more information, visit
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About Unlocking DOORS™
Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Dallas, Unlocking DOORS™ is the states’ most innovative and comprehensive “reentry network. The non-profit Network creates stronger communities by guiding people with criminal backgrounds to become law-abiding, self- sufficient members of society – which
reduces crime and saves taxpayers money. Using its unique and highly-successful “Reentry Brokerage™/Data and Predictive Trends” program, the organization serves as a model for how other cities, states and communities can help those with criminal backgrounds help themselves.
For more information, please visit connect on Twitter (@prisondoors) and Facebook.com/DOORS-483569298347169.
About Pieces Technologies
Pieces Technologies, Inc. is a health information technology company on a mission to advance health at every decision. Pieces Technologies provides end-to-end monitoring, prediction, documentation & discovery software for health systems and community based organizations.
For more information visit piecestech.comorconnect on Twitter (@piecestech) and