Drawing on insights from recent pilot projects, this brief discusses ways in which stakeholders across sectors can empower people coming out of prison to access identification and financial services.

Family and friends are a major lifeline for justice-involved individuals, providing support and advice from pre-trial to post-release.

Once justice-involved individuals are released from jail or court, they are still not released from their financial obligations to the criminal justice system.

Once justice-involved individuals re-enter society, there are numerous barriers to gain employment that often force them to make difficult decisions.

After a family member or loved one is arrested, their households are forced to juggle financial responsibilities, including staggering bills and missing payments.

The Financial Health Network presents a look into how one’s financial health impacts their ability to navigate the U.S. criminal justice system, and how their involvement in that system impacts their financial health. In partnership with the University of Southern California’s (USC) Center for Economic and Social Research, we interviewed 36 individuals who shared their multifaceted experiences with the criminal justice system, highlighting multiple areas ripe for innovation.

Justice-involved individuals and their families face a number of expenses that can create financial strains immediately after arrest, including posting bail and hiring legal representation.

Across each phase of involvement with the criminal justice system, individuals and their families often experience negative financial health outcomes.