The insights from former Chief Justice Burger are worth pondering over when considering the enormous amount of public funds invested in assisting the reentrants. There is a consensus that the recidivism rates have remained alarmingly high despite the huge financial resources allocated to reintegration. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) study found that more than two thirds of prisoners were rearrested within three years (Durose et al., 2014).

IARC in partnership with public and private institutions of higher learning, philanthropic organizations, private corporations, and public and nonprofit agencies will commit to explore concrete strategies that will provide a community support program that caters to the “whole person” and offer services to reentrans and parents of hbfa students in a central location.

It is a proven fact that the more you learn, the more you earn. This statement is true when it comes to curbing recidivism. The cornerstone of IARC initiatives for the three target groups is education. Schooling in trades, job skills, GEDs, and other college related programs, will be made available to reentrants, parents, juvenile offenders, and children who have experienced severe
childhood trauma, while focusing on the necessary steps to prepare those interested in pursuing college level work.

Like the “Youth Center” and the “Juvenile Offenders Center,” the “Reentrants and Parents of HBFA Students Center” will be located on 30-acres of land to provide not only educational and training opportunities, but also hands-on non-cognitive and marketable skills which are critical for the success of individuals struggling with chronic trauma. This center will provide studios for 150 reentrants committed to either pursue a college education and/or a professional career in high priority occupations for a period of 12 months. The mentoring and training sessions for reentrants will take place in the “East Wing,” while parenting, mentoring, and training sessions for parents of HBFA students will be held in the “West Wing” of the center. Travel arrangements will be made to assist parents to attend planned training programs at the center.