View Research by Author - Asheley Van Ness

Citation URL: http://www.urban.org/AsheleyVanNess

Outside the Walls provides descriptions of a broad array of prisoner reentry activity across the country, as well as briefing papers that discuss what is known about reentry as it pertains to employment, health, housing, family, faith, and public safety. The Urban Institute produced this report in collaboration with Outreach Extensions as part of the National Media Outreach Campaign, a new effort to encourage discussion and decision-making about solution-based prisoner reentry programs among local community and faith-based organizations. The Urban Institute conducted a national scan of reentry programs that are addressing the needs and risks facing returning prisoners, their families, and communities. The report benefited significantly from the input of national experts who nominated programs that are implementing innovative approaches to easing the reentry process in their local communities.

The purpose of this evaluation was to assess whether STOP's financial support for direct victim services offered through private nonprofit agencies helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault improve their safety and well-being, and work successfully with legal system and other relevant agencies. Results show that women benefit from services of private nonprofit victim service agencies and the benefit of these services is enhanced when victim service agencies work in collaboration with the legal system and other relevant agencies in their community. When community agencies worked together to address domestic violence and sexual assault, women found them to be more helpful and effective and were more satisfied with the treatment they received from the legal system and their case outcomes. Legal system outcomes of arrests and convictions also happened more frequently when community agencies worked together.

The Screening and Assessment in TANF/Welfare-to-Work study involved a review of the issues and challenges faced by TANF agencies and their partners in developing strategies and selecting instruments to identify substance abuse and mental health problems, learning disabilities, and domestic violence situations among TANF clients. The issues and challenges identified through that review are presented in Ten Important Questions TANF Agencies and Their Partners Should Consider. The second phase of the study involved case studies of a limited number of localities to further explore how TANF agencies and their partners responded to the issues and challenges identified during phase one. The findings from the case studies are presented in this report.

Girl Neighborhood Power (GNP) is an out-of-school positive youth development program for girls ages 9 to 14. The current study used both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to examine the types of activities offered through GNP and how GNP assists girls in living healthy lives. The program assists girls living in low-income neighborhoods by providing adult supports, positive peer interaction, and exposure to community service, career building, and knowledge they would not otherwise have. The program seems to have positively influenced girls’ psychological and social adjustment.

For the fiscal years 1995 through 2000, more than $440 million was spent funding nearly 9,000 subgrants reported on Subgrant Award and Performance Reports (SAPRs). These subgrants funded 3,444 separate projects. Although the median award was modest, at just over $30,000, many projects received multiple grants and multiyear funding. Sixty percent received funding for more than one year, and a third for more than two years. This sustained support has helped promote stability and continuity in all kinds of local efforts to build community responses to violence against women.

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