Download a PDF version

The legislation authorizes assistance to states and localities to develop and implement strategic plans for providing and coordinating comprehensive efforts to enable ex-offenders to successfully reenter their communities.

Such efforts include access to supports and services such as family reunification, and mental health services. The bill also establishes a federal inter-agency task force on offender reentry, and provides for research on reentry, and a national resource center to collect and disseminate information on best practices in offender reentry.

Research demonstrates the effectiveness of improved family relationships in reducing recidivism and preventing children from committing crimes. Improved outcomes for returning offenders is strongly linked to improved family stability. Stronger family interactions will result in lower recidivism for offenders and fewer children of offenders committing crimes.

Research Shows:

• Children of prisoners are more likely to become incarcerated adults than other children
  

• Children of incarcerated parents are 3-6 times more likely to exhibit violent or serious delinquent behavior
  

• Youths whose mother was arrested are twice as likely to be arrested as juveniles
  

• Improved family relationships result in lower recidivism for offenders, fewer disciplinary incidents in prison, and fewer children of offenders committing crimes.
  

Resources provided in the bill could be used for a variety of family strengthening programs such as maintaining family relationships when a parent is incarcerated, identifying barriers to collaborating with child welfare agencies in providing services, collecting information regarding dependent children of incarcerated persons, and developing programs that support parent-child relationships.

The legislation reauthorizes the Federal Resource Center for Children of Prisoners. The Center has implemented best practices and demonstrated the effectiveness of improved family stability. Ten demonstration projects have provided comprehensive services to children of prisoners and their incarcerated parent; provided parenting programs to incarcerated mothers; and case management services to their children and caregivers; and life skills development and enrichment activities among other services.


Adult and Juvenile Offender Reentry Initiative Protects Children, Youth and Families:

• Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop regulations that address family preservation and safety services for families impacted by incarceration.
  

• Allows for the involvement of family members of offenders in facilitating the successful reentry of offenders into the community, which minimizes likelihood of harm to children.
  

• Encourages expansion of family-based treatment centers that offer comprehensive treatment, which ensures safety of family members.
  

• Fosters the creation or development of prisoner and family policies, procedures, or programs to help prisoners reconnect with their families and communities as appropriate.
  

• Encourages removing obstacles to the maintenance of family relationships while the offender is in custody.