Forging Partnerships

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Forging Partnerships

• Families, Community-Based Organizations, and
  Government as
• Agents of Change

Carol Shapiro, Founder and President, Family
Justice April 30, 2007
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Why Families?
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Research

• An Urban Institute study cited family as the most
  important factor in helping former prisoners stay
  out of prison Ninety-two percent reported
  getting financial support from someone in their
  family 88 were living with family.
• Incarcerated men who maintain strong family
  ties while in jail or prison demonstrate higher
  levels of post-release success than those who do
  not maintain family ties.

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Research contd

• A formal evaluation of Family Justices first
  direct service learning center, La Bodega de la
  Familia, demonstrated that engaging family
  members of parolees and probationers in family
  case management successfully decreased illegal
  drug use (from 80 to 42) without additional
  drug treatment reduced new arrests and
  increased family well-being.

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Families Are . . .

• Broadly defined to include significant others,
  friends, neighbors, clergy etc.
• Natural connected to culture and neighborhood
  networks
• Long-term Often available 24 hours a day
• Experts in their own lives

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Mapping Family Context Social Networks
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Genograms

• Depict relationships
• Illuminate family patterns
• Identify strengths and challenges

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Genogram Natalies Family
Ruth C. 53 Probation
Roberto C., 54
Evelyn, 62
Michael, d. AIDS
Donald A. Incarcerated
Natalie C., 24 Probation
Rob, 22 Probation
Ramon, 6 months
Lara A., 5
Liza A., 7
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Genogram Natalies Family

• Natalie Potential Strengths
• Employed
• High School graduate
• Has some college-level education

Ruth C. 53 Probation
Roberto C., 54
Evelyn, 62
Michael, d. AIDS
Donald A. Incarcerated
Natalie C., 24 Probation
Rob, 22 Probation

• Natalie Basic Demographics
• 24 years old
• Married to Rob
• Divorced from Donald
• Has three children two with Donald and one with
  Rob

Ramon, 6 months
Lara A., 5
Liza A., 7
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Genogram Natalies Family

• Natalies Father, Roberto
• 54 years old
• Employed
• In Recovery

Ruth C. 53
Roberto C., 54
Michael, d. AIDS
Evelyn, 62
Donald A.
Rob, 22

• Natalies Mother, Ruth
• 53 years old
• On probation
• Dealing with depression and substance abuse
• Not employed

Natalie C., 24

• Basic Demographics
• 24 years old
• Married to Rob
• Divorced from Donald
• Has three children two with Donald and one with
  Rob

Ramon, 6 months
Lara A., 5
Liza A., 7
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Prevalence of Justice Involvement,Substance
Abuse, and HIV/AIDS

• 72 percent of the families had two or more
  family members with a history of criminal justice
  involvement
• 82 percent of the families had two or more
  family members with a history of substance abuse
• 49 percent of the families had at least one
  family member with HIV/AIDS

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Ecomaps

• Include the major systems that the family
  interacts with
• Show the nature of the familys relationship with
  various systems
• Demonstrate the exchange of resources
• Provide context

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Family Ecomap
Parole
Child Welfare
Housing
YMCA Rec Center
Drug Treatment
Vocational Training
Sewing Circle
Neutral Positive Challenges
Health Centers
Church
Youth Worker
Schools
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Organizational Ecomap
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Your organization
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Neutral Positive Challenges
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Tools and Methods for Change

• Workforce Development
• Database where family is the unit of analysis
• Relational Inquiry Tool
• Bodega Membership Network

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How to Apply a Family-Focused Approach
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Consider the Following

• What are you already doing that fits with these
  goals?
• What would it take to shift policy and practice
  to integrate a family-focus?
• What other innovative reentry approaches are
  taking place?
• How can reentry strategies impact public safety?
  cost-effectiveness?