Going the Extra Mile: A Case Study of Rural Reentry in Arkansas

Going the extra mile: A case study of rural reentry in Arkansas provides an exploration of a small rural community in Southeast Arkansas that takes a unique, individualized approach to reentering young adults ages 18-24. The received wisdom on rural reentry is that it is generally more difficult than reentry in an urban setting. Phoenix Youth and Family Services, which serves a rural part of Arkansas, has excelled on key outcomes as part of FHI 360’s Compass Rose Collaborative (CRC)1, a project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor to improve the education and employment outcomes of young adults,
ages 18 through 24, after involvement in the U.S. criminal justice system.
Phoenix Youth and Family Services, known locally and abbreviated hereafter as “Phoenix,” provides wraparound support services to its participants to helpjuveniles, young adults, and families secure a safe, healthy, and strong life