There are two main external approaches that help improve outcomes for people affected by incarceration, top-down = Policy change & bottom-up = Grassroots. It i

There are two main external approaches that help improve outcomes for people affected by incarceration, top-down = Policy change & bottom-up = Grassroots. It is first worth noting that change is generally hard for everyone: governments, organizations, and individuals, because it's not typically not a simple singular event but a complex process: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Womens_Health_Watch/2012/March/why-behavior-change-is-hard-and-why-you-should-keep-trying http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Womens_Hea... On the policy front, this is one of many approaches being taken, and this specific one is coming from the White House, My Brother's Keeper: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/27/fact-sheet-opportunity-all-president-obama-launches-my-brother-s-keeper- http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/27/fact-s... On the grassroots front, there are two organization that come to mind that are running programs showing promise in breaking the cycle of crime at different points: Roca & the Center for Employment. Here are their theories of change respectively: http://rocainc.org/what-we-do/the-solution/rocas-intervention-model-for-high-risk-young-people/ http://rocainc.org/what-we-do/the-solution/rocas-interventio... http://ceoworks.org/about/what-we-do/ceo-model-3/ http://ceoworks.org/about/what-we-do/ceo-model-3/ Both are taking part in scaling what works with Social Impact Bonds: http://www.ted.com/talks/toby_eccles_invest_in_social_change http://www.ted.com/talks/toby_eccles_invest_in_social_change http://www.socialfinanceus.org/what-we-do/select-current-engagements/social-finance-drives-landmark-new-york-state-deal http://www.socialfinanceus.org/what-we-do/select-current-eng... http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/tackling-mass-incarceration/?smid=pl-share http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/tackling-mas... Additional case studies from David Hunter: http://dekhconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/HunterConsulting_ROCA_CaseStudy.pdf http://dekhconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/HunterC... http://dekhconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/CenterForEmploymentOpp_CaseStudy.pdf http://dekhconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/CenterF...