One out of four African American men is incarcerated. Nearly 650,000 men are released from prison back to the communities they come from. Many of Safe Return Initiative Building Bridges DVD Cover these men have been victims of violence as children in family, among peers, in community, or in prison and they also have histories of violence against women in intimate partner relationships.
It is acknowledged that due to their prison and life experiences these men return to family and community very angry and at risk for violent and abusive behavior. In fact, many men return to prison due to parole violation related to domestic violence. In order to stop the cycle of violence, it is important to consider ways to promote a “Safe Return” from prison to the community for these men but especially for the women and children to whom they return.
Although parole and current reentry efforts attempt to address the challenges of returning home from prison related to housing, employment, substance abuse and education, little attention is given to domestic violence and what helps men end their violence; and what keeps women and children safe once he returns home.
This DVD highlights the issues related to prisoner reentry and domestic violence and offers examples of collaborations among domestic violence, criminal justice/parole community supervision, and community based programs in addressing domestic violence in the context of reentry.
This Safe Return Initiative is a Partnership between the Office on Violence Against Women, United States Department of Justice and the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community, St. Paul, MN.
The words and opinions of those individuals in the DVD may not reflect that of the Office on Violence Against Women.