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01/04/2000 - Bo Robinson Expansion

Washington, Jan 4 -

Bo Robinson Expansion

ROSELAND, NJ (January 4, 2000)--In a meeting held on January 5th 2000, the Trenton Board of Adjustment unanimously voted to allow the Albert M. "Bo" Robinson Education and Training Center to expand their treatment capacity by 100 beds. This expansion allows for 20 additional beds to be added to CEC’s male treatment program as well as allowing a brand-new, 80-bed rehabilitation program for women.

The Center was opened in January of 1997 to provide substance-abuse treatment, life-skills training and work-release experience to 300 men. In the summer of 1999, Bo Robinson altered its treatment focus and became an assessment and treatment program - an intermediate program providing assistance to inmates after serving time in prison, but prior to their being released to a work-release program.

Bo Robinson has treated over 2,200 male residents since January of 1997, and offers:

Comprehensive assessments for substance abuse, risk of recidivism, pathology, and adult basic education.

8 hours a day of Individual counseling, group sessions, workshops, education and lectures about substance-abuse and changing criminal thinking.

Life-Skills training program that provides practical work on: changing attitudes and habits, motivation, stress management, problem solving, decision making, family cohesiveness and interpersonal communications.

The majority of male residents have an average of two children under the age of 18. Offering these residents treatment and education enhances the likelihood that they will provide for and support their children.

80 treatment beds to begin to assist the 1,200 women in the New Jersey prison system.

Bo Robinson provides the community:

Taxes from a previously empty property.

A Community Advisory Board, through which community concerns are heard.

With the 100-bed expansion there will be a total of over 100 full-time, permanent jobs.

Community service, painting and clean-up of churches and community recreation areas.

The principals of CEC have been providing rehabilitation services to difficult populations since 1969 and currently provide services in 8 states, through 14 adult programs and 6 youth programs.

This expansion is particularly exciting since this will be CEC’s first New Jersey women’s program, and this will allow CEC the opportunity to provide valuable, life-changing assistance to an extremely under-served population.