ReEntry Mediation Institute of Louisiana

Through a process of self-determination, the Re-Entry Mediation Institute of Louisiana seeks to decrease recidivism rates and improve a person’s transition home from incarceration with the sustainable support of positive relationships with family and friends. While there are many wonderful re-entry programs taking place in Louisiana, many are missing the critical element of mental health, relationships, family reunification, and self-determination.

Mediation sessions between an incarcerated person and their loved one (such as a parent, a spouse, a former pastor, an old neighbor, a former employer) takes place in a Department of Corrections facility six to twelve months before their return back home. Each session is facilitated by two professionally-trained neutral mediators. 

Mediation is a short-term intervention with long-term impact on mental health. Recidivism rates decrease with each mediation session. By rebuilding relationships between inmates and their loved ones, we tap into the resources indigenous to the community, strengthen these connections, and allow for collaborative transition planning. The process helps all people feel heard and understood and come up with their own solutions.