Redefining Reentry and Reducing Recidivism
At the CSG Justice Center, we believe that all people deserve second chances. After people have served their time in prison or jail, systems should set them up to succeed.
Unfortunately, this isn’t usually the case.
Incarceration has harmful and costly impacts on people, systems, and communities. Upon release, people are more likely to experience homelessness, hospitalization, or unemployment than those who have not been incarcerated.
While most people don’t return to prison, states still spend billions of dollars every year putting people back behind bars—often for preventable reasons.
Our Solution: Reduce recidivism by redefining reentry and expanding access to basic needs—including housing, health care, and income—for people with criminal records.
We work with states and communities to develop and implement data-driven, cross-systems strategies and solutions that break the incarceration cycle.
Here’s how:
We unite government and community leaders across justice, housing, health, and workforce sectors around one bold goal: Reduce nationwide recidivism 30% by 2030.
We help states implement fair chance licensing laws to end bans on qualified people with criminal records from getting in-demand jobs.
We calculate the cost and impact of justice system failures on prison populations and state budgets.
We track recidivism rates and trends for all 50 states.
We help states understand their reentry data beyond recidivism—from racial disparities to collateral consequences.
Interested in working with us?