The National Reentry Resource Center's Committee on Communities and Families has put together a lists of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for those who are, or were, involved in the criminal justice system, their families and friends, community members and reentry professionals.
Questions include:
What role do families and communities play in helping people successfully return from correctional facilities, and how can reentry stakeholders engage them?
How can corrections-based programs help keep families connected?
How can reentry stakeholders help facilitate family reunification?
How do family reunification and contact strategies differ when there are issues of domestic violence?
How can reentry stakeholders help people in correctional facilities manage arrearages, including child support, during the reentry process?
How can reentry stakeholders address child custody issues during the reentry process?
How can community corrections officials work with families to increase the likelihood that the returning individual succeeds after his/her release?
How can community-based reentry stakeholders work with families to help them prepare for their family member’s release from incarceration?
How can faith communities help people returning to their community after incarceration?
What is the role of a mentor in reentry?
How do mentoring programs recruit, train, match, and retain mentors?
Recognizing the importance of family reunification programs, the NRRC stated “More than half of all people in prison are a parent to a minor child—an estimated 1.7 million children in the U.S. have a parent in prison. Research on family involvement indicates that people who engage more with their families while incarcerated and after their release recidivate less frequently and experience other positive outcomes—such as finding housing and employment—at a higher rate than people who do not maintain contact with their families. Addressing community and family engagement of people reentering communities through comprehensive reentry planning and coordinating transitional services has the potential to improve post-release outcomes, including stronger families and communities.”
The data-driven answers include information on successful programs that deal with each particular question, and offers videos and reports.
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