La Bodega de la Familia

1
La Bodega de la Familia

• Families, Neighborhoods, Justice

• 2003 Innovation in American Government Award
  Winner

Presented by Larry Iseminger
2
Carol Shapiro Has a Vision

• After working in alternatives to incarcerations
  and the corrections field for years and seeing
  firsthand the potential to tap the strengths and
  natural support of families

3
Family Justice

• Carol pioneered a new case management strategy,
  in which ex-offenders work with their families to
  stay drug-free and out of jail.
• Old Model Individual Case Management
• New Model Family Case Management
• Family Justice draws on the unique strengths of
  families and neighborhoods to break cycles of
  involvement with the criminal justice system.
• Innovation Families are part of the solution!

4
La Bodega de la Familia

• Parolees and Relatives toward Newly Enhanced
  Relationships (PARTNER) Project, a partnership
  with NY state parole and NYC probation officers
  to improve community justice supervision outcomes
  by tapping the natural support of families.
• In 1996, Carol found a suitable home for a
  storefront, family-support center.
• La Bodega de la Familia is located on the site of
  a former 24hr. Neighborhood grocery store in NY
  Citys Lower East Side
• The former grocery store was the scene of a
  tragic confrontation between police and local
  drug dealers.
• Officer paralyzed drug dealer dead

5
La Bodega - Before
Crime Scene
6
La Bodega Before

• Carol Shapiro takes a look at the space, that
  would become La Bodega de la Familia.

7
La Bodega - After
The storefront gets a face lift
Inside La Bodega
8
The Bodega Model

• The Bodega Model is based on the formation of a
  partnership between individuals under
  supervision, their family members, Bodega family
  case managers, and government partners such as
  parole and probation.
• Serving over 1,000 families, La Bodega's
  bilingual staff provides three core services
• Family Case Management
• 24-hour support
• Walk-in and prevention services

9
Strengthening Families
"Our first meeting at La Bodega was the first
time that anyone had asked me why I hurt and what
I might need. I was ashamed and scared at first,
but then I realized that the family case manager
and the parole officer were there to help me.
They wanted what was best for my grandson... and
me. When I thought Carlos was back on drugs, I
knew who to call. And they were there." - A La
Bodega participant
10
Real Results

• According to subsequent research of The Bodega
  Model, engaging and supporting the families of
  drug users under community-based justice
  supervision can
• improve the success of outpatient drug treatment
  and compliance with community supervision
  mandates
• reduce the use of incarceration to punish relapse
• reduce the family harms often associated with
  substance abuse and criminal justice involvement
  (e.g., domestic violence, truancy, eviction, and
  HIV/AIDS).

Comparison Group Individual Case Management
11
Additional Information

• http//www.innovations.harvard.edu/awards.html?id
  3666
• http//www.labodegadelafamilia.org/
• http//www.familyjustice.org/
• http//content.knowledgeplex.org/streams/ksg/1708_
  video.ram