Parole and probation

Director of the National Institute of Justice Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D., and Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics Alex Piquero, Ph.D., discuss important topics, programs and initiatives related to reentry and recidivism.

NIJ Director Nancy La Vigne highlights the importance of evidence-based strategies for successful reentry. This strategy emphasizes the need for tailored and holistic support that starts during confinement and continues after release, with a focus on family involvement, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and community supervision.

In this video, NIJ Director Nancy La Vigne, Ph.D., discusses inclusive research, one of her top priorities.

NIJ is committed to supporting research that makes a positive impact on our justice system. Whatever form that research takes, we should spend time engaging with the people who are closest to the issue under study. Inclusive research is valuable because it has the potential to improve the quality of data collected and the accuracy of its interpretation and is defined by four core principles: 

No single criminal justice agency can promote desistance on its own. Partnerships across state, local, and federal agencies — along with the support of family and community stakeholders — are instrumental in supporting desistance from crime and reducing recidivism.

Law enforcement, courts, corrections, and community supervision agencies play a key role in the desistance process and reducing recidivism.