The Department of Justice announced that it is awarding $110.7 million in grants to support programs to reduce recidivism and that support formerly incarcerated individuals as they integrate back into their communities.
The grants will be awarded to jurisdictions, research institutions, nonprofit organizations and others "in support of evidence-based approaches to reintegrate formerly incarcerated individuals into communities," the department stated in the Dec. 22 announcement on its website.
The Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) are awarding the grants.
“We are committed to ensuring that formerly incarcerated individuals get the treatment, training and support they need after returning to their communities,” Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in the announcement.
Gupta added that the goal is to reunite former inmates with families while also finding them a place to live and get health care and behavioral health support. Another aspect is providing means of education and a way to enter back into the work force.
“These resources are critical to successful reintegration and promote the health and safety of our communities,” Gupta said.
Stating that community reintegration is a "core feature" of President Joe Biden's Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gun Crime and Ensure Public Safety, DOJ wrote in the announcement that "(e)xpanding reentry opportunities is a key priority of the Biden-Harris Administration, which is taking steps to make the criminal justice system fairer, more efficient and more effective at reducing recidivism."
The DOJ has been focused on eliminating the barriers to re-enter society in a way of helping formerly incarcerated people find jobs and housing.
“These resources — and investments being made by agencies across the federal government — will help catalyze and bolster systemic solutions to address the substantial reentry needs felt by hundreds of thousands of people across the nation,” Amy L. Solomon, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP, said in the announcement.
“If we truly believe in second chances and the power of redemption, we must provide those who leave our jails, prisons and confinement facilities with the tools and support to assume a positive and productive role in our society.”
