Support Our Research:
Your support helps Break the Cuffs advance research into desistance, reentry, and successful community reintegration. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, contributions help us conduct research, share findings, and develop evidence-informed resources that can strengthen individuals, communities, and criminal justice policy.
Who We Are:
Break the Cuffs: The Institute for Reentry and Desistance Research is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to better understanding what helps people successfully rebuild their lives after involvement with the criminal justice system. Our research places a strong emphasis on qualitative approaches that look beyond statistics to better understand the experiences, challenges, and successes of people navigating reentry and long-term desistance from crime. By listening to individuals with lived experience, as well as families, communities, practitioners, and other stakeholders, we seek to identify the factors that support lasting change and the barriers that can stand in its way. Our goal is to produce practical, evidence-informed research that contributes to stronger communities, more effective criminal justice policies, and better opportunities for successful reintegration.
Mission Statement:
Break the Cuffs: The Institute for Reentry and Desistance Research exists to conduct rigorous scientific research on offender desistance, successful community reintegration, and corrections effectiveness in order to improve criminal justice policy, enhance public safety, and provide lasting prosocial transformation.
Vision Statement:
Break the Cuffs: The Institute for Reentry and Desistance Research envisions a future where criminal justice policy and practice are guided by scientific evidence, where formerly incarcerated individuals have greater opportunities for lasting success, and where research strengthens communities by improving public safety, accountability, and successful reintegration.