About the Forum
According to the Department of Justice, over 630,000 people are released from incarceration yearly and arrive on the doorsteps of communities nationwide. Of the 630,000 people released, an estimated 160,000 of those were violent offenders. Without coordination of the offender re-entry process a cycle of victimization, violence and disillusionment and economic abandonment will continue to grip many communities that are already marginalized. Communities engaged in economic development activity will see their work undone by the predictable social consequences of prisoners who return without support systems. The majority of ex-offenders leave prison with no savings, no immediate entitlement to unemployment benefits and few job prospects. The most basic and initial needs of these offenders are housing and employment without which, most offenders find themselves in an environment that that lacks stability. This looming crisis impacts all communities.
The Forum for Reentry and Community Economic Development is a project of the National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED). With support from the Department of Justice/ Office of the Weed and Seed and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Center conducts research and evaluation, collects and disseminates information, provides training and technical assistance, and increases awareness among the many disciplines and service systems that come in contact with ex-offenders. The Forum’s ultimate goal is to equip communities with the ability to administer quality services to ex-offenders thereby creating better outcomes for the ex-offender, thereby sustaining the economic growth of his or her community.