Redefining Reentry
We are working to establish a framework to provide holistic supportive services to the entire family unit entangled with the criminal legal system from the first point of contact. We seek to reframe the focus of reentry on the amelioration of the root causes of harm in our communities. This shift will increase No Entry as the prevalent form of reentry and begin to eliminate the need for the criminal legal system altogether. Justice for our communities looks like (i) preventing harm by investing in the vital resources to create the circumstances in which people thrive — instead of barely surviving — and, (ii) responding to harm through accountability that centers healing for all parties involved — instead of brutality, dehumanization, and perpetual marginalization.
Participatory Research
At the heart of our redefining reentry work is participatory research where we conduct collaborative and inclusive research that actively involves those with lived experience - the real experts. We endeavor to embody our motto in every aspect of our work including our research.
Together we:
Co-create of Knowledge: Collectively develop the research questions, methodologies, and analysis.
Empowerment: Seek to empower individuals and communities by acknowledging their expertise and involving them in decision-making processes throughout the research journey.
Social Change: Utilize research to promote social change and addressing issues of social justice. It may involve advocacy efforts and the development of community-driven solutions.
Ethical Considerations: Respect participants' autonomy, cultural sensitivity, and ensure ethical considerations are integral to our participatory research. We are actively working to minimize power imbalances and prioritize the well-being of participants.
Action-Oriented: Our research is not just about generating knowledge but also about taking action based on the findings to ensure that our work shows up as a verb and not a noun.
Reentry Guidelines
In 2022 we released our Reentry Guidelines, informed by participatory research. Our Reentry Guidelines were created with the intent to redefine reentry that begins the process of building an infrastructure for community designed and delivered support and accountability. Our goal simply put: no entry. Our Reentry Guidelines argue that reentry (in its current iteration) is too little too late. Instead, we must envision and build a system that begins to support and stabilize people and their families at the earliest point possible. This framework also marries traditional reentry services (i.e., job placement, housing, education, training, etc.) with nontraditional services (i.e., mutual aid, participatory defense, community fridges and farms, restorative justice, transformative justice, etc.) — and expands those services to include the entire family unit entangled with the criminal legal system. Because anyone who has had that experience fully understands that the entire family unit is navigating life differently from the very first point of contact with and traumatized by that system.