title: Faith-based organization welcomes women back home into the community: changing lives, restoring families, and building community.
abstract: This article reviews the current research related to the many issues affecting women's journey from incarceration back into community living. The complex transition process that comes when ex-offenders attempt to reenter society post-release is examined, and the story of one faith-based community reentry program for women located in southern California is described. The women in this program currently achieve overall recidivism rates of 3% as compared with national averages of 50%. The program uses peers to help newly released women achieve long-term success. The specific steps taken by this organization to obtain such significant measurable positive outcomes are described.
authors.affiliation: Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California 92123, USA. DaniseCMiller@aol.com
authors.forename: Danise C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010379:Peer Group; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D012067:Religion; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012944:Social Support; D012946:Social Welfare; D016387:Women's Health