Reentry is Relational Project

The Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Program: National Initiatives, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In FY 2008, the program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within five major categories: 1) preventing crime and drug abuse; 2) enhancing local law enforcement; 3) enhancing local courts; 4) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 5) facilitating justice information sharing.

The Vera Institute of Justice will build on the work initiated by Family Justice Inc. in Grant #2008-DD-BX-0682 to support the Reentry is Relational Project. They will develop the capacity of two prison facilities to partner with local parole departments and enhance reentry outcomes by incorporating a family-focused, strength-based approach. The Vera Institute of Justice will work with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the New Mexico Corrections Department as its partners complete the following key deliverables: (1) training for all facility and parole staff in Family Justice's evidenced-based Bodega Model® and use of the Relational Inquiry Tool; (2) evaluation of the integration of Family Justice's methods and tools into staff practice; (3) technical assistance to the chosen sites as they integrate a strength-based, family-focused approach in their use of the Relational Inquiry Tool; (4) a brief on the project to share learning with the field.

CA/NCF