BOSTON ̶̶ Leaders of Community Resources for Justice and Family ReEntry today announced finalization of a merger that unites two nonprofit organizations at the forefront of providing reentry and support services that change lives and build safer, stronger communities in the Northeast.
CRJ, headquartered in Boston, and Family ReEntry, based in Bridgeport, Conn., began discussions last year to consider combining their work providing community-based alternatives to incarceration and supporting individuals as they transition from incarceration back into the community.
As part of the merger, which became official July 31, Family ReEntry and its array of critical community-based interventions and residential programs will become a part of CRJ’s Social Justice Services division, which operates community-based residential reentry programs in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Rhode Island. Reentry centers support individuals to overcome barriers as they transition from incarceration back to the community, including access to housing, employment, and substance use and mental health treatment.
Family ReEntry will retain its name, programming, organizational structure, and staff as a subdivision within CRJ.
“Family ReEntry has been a longtime ally of CRJ in working to support individuals who’ve come into contact with the criminal justice system and help them achieve better outcomes for themselves, their families, and their communities,” CRJ President and CEO John Larivee said. “This new partnership expands CRJ’s continuum of services and strengthens our collective impact on improving opportunities for those we serve.”
Family ReEntry Executive Director Angela Medina said that while staff and clients will see little change in day-to-day operations and services, the merger represents an important new chapter for the organization.
“CRJ has been a pioneer and a leader in reentry services for more than a century,” Medina said. “This merger will allow Family ReEntry to benefit from that history and bring our own innovation, experiences, and mix of services to create something stronger than either organization would be on its own.”
With a history stretching back to 1878, CRJ’s programs bridge the divide between policy work and direct services. In addition to its reentry programs, CRJ runs a program for young people with complex clinical needs, residential programs for adults with developmental disabilities, and a national-scale research and consulting practice, the Crime and Justice Institute, which drives bold, transformative changes in adult and juvenile justice systems.
Since 1984, Family ReEntry has worked to break cycles of violence, crime, and incarceration by providing client-centered interventions and support services to empower and strengthen individuals, families, and communities. Family ReEntry provides reentry services, domestic violence treatment and education, mentoring programs, and intensive outpatient programs.
All of Family ReEntry’s programs will continue to operate, serving individuals and families in eight locations within Connecticut, including Bridgeport, Derby, Norwalk, New Haven, New London, Norwich, Stamford and Waterbury. The organization’s workforce of 97 employees will be incorporated into CRJ’s staff of more than 750 workers. No program or staff reductions are anticipated as result of the merger.