Families
For the millions of children with a parent in prison or jail, separation from their parent is traumatic and can have long-term effects on their development. For parents who are incarcerated, strong family relationships are an essential source of support. And youth detained and incarcerated in juvenile justice facilities are removed from their natural supports, negatively impacting their stability and well-being. Our team works with justice agencies and community-based organizations to promote programs that cultivate relationships and engage families in the reentry process. For more information, visit Supporting Incarcerated Parents and Their Families.
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Our plan—developed with the National Resource Center on Children & Families of…
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Visiting is an essential way for families to maintain and strengthen relationships…
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News and Analysis
January 6, 2026
From new laws and reentry councils to increased funding and lowered barriers,…
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September 3, 2025
Our plan—developed with the National Resource Center on Children & Families of…
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October 30, 2024
A positive school experience, where a child feels secure, is essential for…
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March 13, 2024
On March 9, 2024, President Joe Biden signed a $460 billion spending…
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April 27, 2023
s one of the first points of contact in the criminal justice…
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July 18, 2022
On July 18, 2022, the Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform…
Read MoreWebinars
Effectively Implementing Family Engagement and Involvement Practices for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System
This webinar highlights strategies, tools, examples, and best-practice models from across the country that juvenile justice agency managers,…
Engaging Families in Reentry and Demonstrating Improved Outcomes for Family Members of Returning Fathers
This webinar discusses these challenges and reviews innovative strategies and approaches to measuring the outcomes of family-focused programming…
Family Engagement in Juvenile Justice Systems: Building a Strategy and Shifting the Culture
Fatherhood and Reentry: Engaging Families in the Reentry Process
In this webinar, Erik Vecere, vice president of program support for the National Fatherhood Initiative, discusses common implementation…
Focusing on Reentry Housing and Family Engagement in Collaborative, Comprehensive Case Plans
From Arrest to Homecoming—Addressing the Needs of Children of Incarcerated Parents
> On September 1, 2010, National Reentry Resource Center, with the support of the Bureau of Justice Assistance,…
Key Staff
Deputy Program Director, Corrections and Reentry
Valerie
Carpico
leads
the
work
for
planning
and
implementing
initiatives
to
reduce
recidivism,
strengthen
family
engagement,
and
improve
reentry
outcomes
for
the
Addressing
the
Needs
of
Incarcerated
Parents
and
Their
Minor
Children
grant
program
and
the
Reentry
2030
initiative.
Previously,
...
Valerie
was
the
reentry
coordinator
in
Fairfield
County,
Ohio,
where
she
leveraged
partnerships
between
law
enforcement
and
behavioral
health.
In
this
role,
she
facilitated
a
local
reentry
coalition
of
community
agencies
and
coordinated
new
behavioral
health
programming
within
the
local
jail.
She
also
served
as
the
Stepping
Up
coordinator,
setting
new
goals
and
initiatives
for
her
county
focused
on
sober
housing,
jail
screening
tools,
and
a
crisis
stabilization
facility.
Valerie
holds
a
BS
in
criminal
justice
from
Ohio
University
and
an
MS
in
justice
administration
from
Tiffin
University.
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