Blogs by Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch

As law enforcement agencies and community organizations team up across the country to reduce crime, expand opportunity and revitalize our neighborhoods, it is increasingly clear that a crucial part of that work is helping people returning from our prisons and jails make a successful transition back to their families and communities.  With more than 600,000 individuals leaving state and federal prisons each year and more than 11 million cycling through local jails, reentry is a process with enormous implications for communities across the United States and for all of us who care about making...

Every year, more than 600,000 people return to our communities after serving time in federal and state prisons, and another 11.4 million cycle though local jails.  Research shows that economic opportunity, education, strong family bonds and civic engagement are the pillars of a successful return from prison.  And in turn, successful re-entries reduce recidivism, improve the safety of our neighborhoods and provide economic benefits for our communities and our country.

Last month, as part of my ongoing community policing tour, I traveled to Miami and Doral, Florida, to learn about some of the innovative work underway there to build trust and strengthen ties between police officers and the residents they serve.  But in addition to the opportunity to meet with local law enforcement, civic leaders, and students, my trip to south Florida gave me a chance to visit with Janet Reno, the first woman to lead the Department of Justice and the second-longest serving Attorney General in American history. 

Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Justice has taken major steps to make our criminal justice system more fair, more efficient, and more effective at reducing recidivism and helping formerly incarcerated individuals contribute to their communities.  An important part of that task is preparing those who have paid their debt to society for substantive opportunities beyond the prison gates, and addressing obstacles to successful reentry that too many returning citizens encounter.

On May 20th, I was pleased to participate in the Justice Department’s Civil Legal Aid Research Workshop, sponsored by the National Institute of Justice, Access to Justice, and the National Science Foundation.  At this gathering, passionate advocates and dedicated legal professionals worked to identify the data, methods, and research that can inform our efforts to help low-income Americans acquire the legal aid they need and deserve.  Drawn from a range of agencies and backgrounds—including both national and international experts, and federal participants from 25 offices—contributors discussed...