A recent study found that Coconino County’s incarceration rate is almost double that of Arizona and the United States.

Coconino County has launched a new program aimed at helping recently released prison inmates re-enter the community.

Officials say the program, The Pathways to Community Program, helps reduce recidivism by giving people the resources they need before they get out of prison.

Pathways begins with a voluntary assessment of the needs of detainees in custody. From there, Pathways staff can connect to a variety of resources, from obtaining mobile phones to transportation, housing, and even employment.

“It’s not designed for everyone. This program you don’t know. There are people who need to go to jail, but there are a lot of people who can’t. They Because they’re just one person, one resource away and they’re never coming back, they’re going to jail again,” said Brett Axland, chief deputy for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

Resources have always been available, but Coconino County Director of Health and Human Services Kim Musselman said the difference now is that resources are more accessible and immediately centralized.

“We want to be the conduit that provides that connection and enables those people to quickly connect to what they need to be successful and ultimately avoid going back to prison.

About 400 people have been rated and connected to the service since Pathways launched in August. Musselman said only an estimated 4% would reoffend two months later.