An article by Ryan Shanahan and Sandra Villalobos Agudelo of Vera’s Family Justice Program published in the new issue of American Jails magazine * describes Vera’s work to develop family-focused approaches for jail settings. Among the approaches piloted at jails in Wisconsin and Maryland was Vera’s Relational Inquiry Tool.

While Vera has worked with prisons to develop and implement policies and practices that allow incarcerated people to stay in touch with their families and loved ones, jails present a different set of opportunities and challenges. Their proximity to the community and shorter lengths of stay can help to sustain positive family relationships. When corrections staff reinforce those positive relationships, it can help to improve long-term outcomes for people when they return to the community from jail. 

If you are interested in learning more about Vera’s work on reentry planning for people returning home from jail, check out this article in Just ’Cause. 

* published in the September/October 2012 edition of American Jails magazine by the American Jail Association.