In marking the 25th anniversary of the Sentencing Reform Act, Attorney General Eric Holder said that "a thorough review of federal sentencing and corrections policies, with an eye toward possible reform, is welcome and necessary."

He spoke yesterday in Washington, D.C., at a symposium sponsored by the Harvard Law School's Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice and the Congressional Black Caucus. You can read Attorney General Holder's remarks here.

At the annual NIJ conference this week, I gave a presentation and facilitated a discussion on cutting-edge family-focused research. Fifteen years ago the room would have been empty; on Tuesday there was standing room only to hear about the role families play in reentry.

We heard about two important studies. First, Christine Lindquist of RTI International reported on work that strengthens ties between incarcerated men and their families. Their research shows that incarcerated men want and expect to resume relationships with their partners and children after their release. Institutional barriers to contact with loved ones were found to be a significant impediment to family-focused programming.

Second, University of Missouri–St. Louis researcher Jennifer Cobbina reported on a study showing that family support helped 58% of women succeed on parole. She also reported that 71% of women under parole supervision who were not reincarcerated within two to three years of their release cited “supportive parole officers” as a factor.

With support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Family Justice is starting a jail reentry project—and we are seeking partners in this work. Beginning in late summer, Family Justice will collaborate with two agencies on a 12-month initiative, applying a strength-based, family-focused approach to jail and reentry services. The goals include improving reentry outcomes locally and sharing what we learn from the project nationally.

This collaboration will look comprehensively at how a strength-based, family-focused approach will be integrated—from staff development and case flow to visitation and partnerships with community-based organizations.

We are excited to begin work in this area. Do you know of a jail that might be a good fit for this project? If so, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  Natalie Wright-Umoh or complete this questionnaire.

At last week’s Middle Atlantic States Correctional Association conference, I attended an engaging presentation called "Putting Public Safety First: 13 Strategies for Successful Supervision and Reentry." My colleagues from the Center for Effective Public Policy and the Urban Institute discussed findings from a national survey of parole supervision practices.

751 field offices reported on the prevalence of 13 strategies for successful supervision and reentry. When asked how frequently parole officers “engage informal social [supports] to facilitate community reintegration,” 33% of respondents reported that they do so “always or most of the time.”

This is a promising sign that parole officers are increasingly tapping families and other social supports in the reentry process. We welcome the opportunity to support others in integrating this proven strategy.