Hope Behind Bars: Reentry Solutions at Jail Resource Day

When correctional staff and community partners come together, the result is more than an event — it’s a movement toward second chances. Jail Resource Day unites those on the front lines of Arkansas’s reentry efforts to strengthen connections, share solutions, and renew hope for individuals returning home.

Restore Hope employees and Family Advocates with the 100 Families Initiative were honored to take part in the gathering, continuing to build partnerships that help people move from incarceration toward stability, purpose, and success.

Held annually, Jail Resource Day brings together jail administrators, correctional professionals, and community leaders to explore both the challenges and opportunities that come with reentry. Each conversation centers on a shared belief: lasting public safety begins with healthy, supported families and communities.

The day’s sessions reflected that mission. Guest speakers led breakout discussions on reentry programs, peer support, STI prevention, staff wellness, leadership, and the parole and transitional housing process.

Dana Baker, Senior Community Success Manager for the 100 Families Initiative, led a session on how local partnerships can transform reentry outcomes. She shared stories of recovery and restoration — illustrating how coordinated care teams and community collaboration can replace cycles of crisis with cycles of stability.

Another highlight came from the UAMS Brain Injury Program’s presentation, “Traumatic Brain Injury and the Criminal Justice System.” Dr. Danny Bercher, Brandi Dawson, Dianne Campbell, and Sheila Beck shed light on how often unseen brain injuries affect behavior, decision-making, and rehabilitation. Their message was clear: screening, treatment, and education are critical to ensuring individuals receive the understanding and support they need to rebuild their lives.

In “Understanding Reentry, Transitional Housing, and Paroling from County Jail,” presenters Felicia Bentley, Kevin Smith, and Courtney Cooper walked participants through the essential supports — identification, employment, housing — that determine whether someone successfully reintegrates or returns to custody. Their conversation underscored that no single agency can do this work alone.

Together, the voices of Jail Resource Day echoed a powerful truth: when communities collaborate, transformation becomes possible. Each connection made that day helps strengthen Arkansas’s reentry network — one partnership, one family, and one future at a time.