Nearly 200 people gathered in September at the University of Washington Bothell for the Washington Assembly of Restorative Practices, a conference aimed at helping people reenter society after incarceration. Attendees—service providers, justice-system partners, and people with lived experience—discussed jobs, healthcare and housing as key components of reentry.
The conference was created by three co-founders—Candice Baughman, Michael Florez, and David Lund—for rural and tribal communities. Baughman serves on the Washington Statewide Reentry Council, housed at the Washington State Department of Commerce. "Someone who wants support coming out of prison could be from any county in Washington," she said. "Many reentry conferences are in urban areas and rural people can't get there or it costs too much."
Attendance costs were covered through sponsorships from partner organizations, including the Reentry Council. Lund, a criminal justice specialist with the Office of the Washington Secretary of State, was one of the founders. The collaborative approach allowed organizers to pool resources despite budget constraints.
The Reentry Council supports efforts to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for people leaving incarceration, based on research showing that such investments benefit communities.