Family reintegration is a critical aspect of reentry for most returning individuals and research now shows that family support plays a significant role in reentry success. While family members provide a critical support system for individuals during incarceration and after release, and, often, motivation for rehabilitation, incarceration and reentry can put a severe economic and emotional strain on families, particularly the estimated 42,000 New Jersey children with an incarcerated parent.

The final recommendations of the recent Reentry Roundtable follow-up series on Incarceration, Reentry and the Family highlight steps that relevant stakeholders can take to better integrate families. Key first steps are:

* Eliminate the Prison Phone Call Surcharge

Maintaining family ties during incarceration increases the likelihood of successful family reunification post-release; given the inaccessibility to public transportation of most New Jersey prisons, phone calls to loved ones are the preferred method for ensuring these family connections, and all of these calls are collect. Under a Department of Treasury contract with Global Tel*Link, a substantial surcharge is imposed on all collect calls placed by incarcerated individuals. In fact, New Jersey has the third-highest from-prison call rates in the nation. These high surcharges, which go into New Jersey's general fund, function as a tax on the families of incarcerated individuals, most of whom are already under substantial economic strain, further fraying the family connections. the state can address the unfairness of exploiting prisoner's call recipients for revenue by eliminating phone surcharges, as New York State (NOTE: make "New York State" link to Campaign for Telephone Justice website) did in January 2007.

* Lift the Felony Drug Ban

Under New Jersey's implementation of welfare reform, the Work First program, individuals convicted of drug-related offenses are subject to a lifetime ineligibility from receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), General Assistance (GA), and Food Stamps. While there is some relief for those who have completed or are enrolled in a licensed residential treatment program (those with sales convictions can get food stamps, and those with possession convictions only can get both benefits and food stamps), access to treatment, both inside and outside prison, is limited. The ban has a substantial effect on returning individuals with drugs convictions and their families by cutting them off from basic transitional economic support at the point when they are most vulnerable. Federal law allows states to opt out of the ban and twelve states, including New York, have done so. Opting out of the ban would allow New Jersey to use this temporary assistance to stabilize individuals and their families when the risk of recidivism is greatest.

* Expand Housing Opportunities

Stable, affordable housing is a critical unmet need for all low-income families in New Jersey, but when there is a family member with a criminal record, already limited options become even more restricted. Those returning home from prison can't return to public housing for three years in most public housing authorities, and private landlords may refuse to rent to a household with someone who was formerly incarcerated. Unstable housing makes reintegration harder for families - children in particular - and can increase the likelihood of recidivism, if returning individuals cannot return home or cannot find a place for the family to live together. Opportunities exist to expand housing options for these households. For example, the State, counties, and localities submitting Consolidated Plans (and yearly Action Plans) in applying for federal Community Development Block Grants, McKinney Act and HOME funds should consider how to address unmet housing needs for this population, both through specific projects but also by ensuring that these households are not excluded from the range of initiatives being supported.